The Dragon Reborn
by MP1
Summary: Chapter 5 up! 15.08.04. He is a young lad with no memories of his past. On his shoulder lays the destiny of mankind. Should he fail, then all will fall under the Shadow. Duty is heavier than a mountain; death is lighter than a feather...
1. The Tears of the Dragon

* Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.   
Title of this fic is taken from the third book of The Wheel of Time

* Words with (*) are explained in the glossary.

**The Dragon Reborn   
Prologue: The Tears of the Dragon**

"Seijuurou!!!" An enraged young man with spiky white hair slammed the door to Hiko Seijuurou's chamber. Yukishiro Enishi was not someone to mess with when he was mad. And he was definitely mad. 

Hiko Seijuurou, a tall and muscular man in his 30s with long black hair, was whispering something in his infant's ear when Enishi stormed into the room. The woman in front of him, a petite person with curly blond hair, instinctively held her baby closer to her chest at the sight of Enishi. Hiko had sensed Enishi's approach, but he didn't turn until he saw Yuriko's frightened expression. He whirled around to find a furious Enishi walking toward him. "Enishi, what's the matter? And what happened to your hair? Why did it change color?"

"Hmph…" The now white haired Aes Sedai***** growled, rage was written all over his face. "As if you didn't know!!" He opened himself to saidin*****, the male half of the True Source, and began channeling*****. A fireball appeared above his right palm, and he hurled it at Hiko and his wife. "You will pay for what you've done to my sister!!!"

But Hiko Seijuurou was not known as the strongest of all male Aes Sedai for nothing. He had also embraced saidin at the moment Enishi attacked him. Hiko caught the fireball with his bare hands and threw it at the wall, creating a big hole. He quickly wove thick flows of Air and hurled it at Enishi. At first Enishi blocked it, but Hiko managed to force it through Enishi's defenses. It worked; the younger Aes Sedai couldn't move a muscle. "Yuriko, get out of here! My men will protect you!" Hiko ordered his wife while weaving a shield around Enishi to prevent him from touching the True Source. "And be quick!"

Hiko checked his work carefully. Not until he knew for sure that his woven flows were strong enough to hold Enishi still did he relax a bit.

Enishi snarled angrily. The flows of Air Hiko had created held him still, and when he tried to channel, the invisible wall Hiko had built prevented him from doing so. "You bastard…"

"What have I done this time, Enishi?" Hiko snapped at the younger man. "Why did you try to hurt Yuriko and my son?"

"You know what you did to my sister, Seijuurou… You killed her!!"

Hiko's eyes widened. "Your sister… is dead?"

"She's as good as dead!" Enishi shouted desperately, tears streaming down his cheek. "You killed her. You're responsible for her death!" His eyes blazed with anger. "I'll make you… no, not only you, but that bitch and…"

An invisible fist hit Enishi in the stomach. The white haired man gritted his teeth, enduring the pain the blow had inflicted.

"Enishi…" Hiko said slowly. "It pains my heart to hear this sad news. I have always respected your sister and I…"

"Liar!!!" Enishi cut him off. "If only you had a little respect…"

"Silence!!" Hiko roared furiously. The glow of saidin enveloped him again, intimidating the other Aes Sedai. "I did respect your sister! I did love her deeply as my friend. I will not shut you off permanently from the True Source now just because of her. If you still blame me because I didn't return her love, it is your right to do so! However…"

Enishi lifted up his head to find Hiko's deadly gaze directed straight to him. "… if you ever try to hurt Yuriko or my son by any means again, I will hunt you down personally, even if I have to get pass the Dark One himself... I will cut you off from the True Source permanently and I will see that you live the rest of your life miserably, no matter what your sister meant to me. You got that, Enishi?!"

Enishi nodded absently. The Dragon – it was what Hiko was called – sighed deeply and released the invisible bind that held Enishi still. "Go… you will not be able to channel for about three days. Think of what I said, and be wise. My deepest condolences for your sister's death…"

Enishi said nothing as he headed to the door. Before he walked out of the room he turned around and cast Hiko one last look. A look full of hatred and loathing...

Hiko then sank to his knees. "Kumiko, Kumiko…" He lamented. "Why did you have to die?" The Aes Sedai was actually crying. "Why couldn't you accept the fact that I can never love you as I love Yuriko? Why couldn't you stay alive and be strong for the sake of your brother…?"

***

Enishi disappeared after that incident. And then the battle against the Dark One***** began. Hiko Seijuurou led 100 of the strongest male Aes Sedai to defeat the Dark One and the Forsaken*****, the name given to the Aes Sedai who went over to the Dark One in return for the promise of immortality. The hundred companions were victorious; their last attack finally drove the Dark One and his pawns into their prison at Mt. Aso and sealed them. But alas, the Dark One's counter attack tainted saidin…

From that moment on, one by one, all male Aes Sedai went mad because of that taint, and thus the Breaking of the World began. Men who could channel were doomed to undergo a horrible death because of madness. The madness caused a male Aes Sedai to channel wildly; mountains were leveled to the ground, valleys were raised to mountains. Water ran dry, desert turned into sea… A male Aes Sedai would channel until he could not handle the vast amount of power and the One Power itself would finally destroy him.

Even Hiko Seijuurou could not escape this terrible fate…

***

"Yuriko!!!" Hiko Seijuurou rushed to his wife's lifeless body side. "No… this can't be true…" He looked around him, and was horrified to find his baby son and the rest of the family scattered throughout the chamber at the same condition. Their eyes were still open. Horror was plainly visible in their faces.

"Yuriko…" Hiko embraced his deceased wife tightly and buried his head at Yuriko's neck. One by one crystal tears of sadness began to escape his eyes. "Who did this to you…? Why…? WHY???!!!!"

Then a voice was heard. "This is the price you have to pay for opposing the Dark One…"

Hiko lifted up his head abruptly. He definitely recognized that voice. His eyes searched the room frantically. "Enishi… you are sealed at Mt. Aso together with the Dark One… You can't be here…"

"This is the price you must pay for killing my sister…"

Hiko let go off Yuriko's body and stood up. "I defeated you!" His shout echoed throughout the empty chamber. "With my own hands I drove you to your prison!"

But the voice kept on taunting. "Dragon, a human cannot stand against the Dark One…"

"Is this your doing, Enishi??!" If there was anything left of the sadness he felt, his face didn't show it. Instead, it displayed pure rage. "Did you kill my wife and my whole family??!!"

"Dragon, you are a fool…"

"Enishi… For betraying the Light, your punishment is to live your life in a prison eternally." Hiko said slowly with voice strained with anger. "But for the crime of killing my wife there is no sufficient punishment! I told you I would hunt you down should you ever…"

"Fool!!!" The white haired Forsaken materialized before Hiko's eyes. The older man quickly embraced the True Source, ready to defend himself. "Which hands have slain Yuriko, Dragon?" Enishi's eyes gazed at him mockingly, boring into his mind and forcing complete sanity on the raging Dragon one last time. "They did not die by my hands…"

Hiko's eyes widened with horror as fragments of memories came back to him. His mother's eyes staring at him accusingly. His sister's scream as she was dying. And he remembered Yuriko's agonized voice, begging him to stop. Hiko looked at Yuriko's body at his feet. Her beautiful face was tainted with blood. And his son… oh, he was still too young to understand that his own father had killed him.

"Remember, Dragon…" Enishi laughed scornfully as he disappeared from Hiko's sight. "Remember that you've killed your own family. Remember and grieve! Scream! Mourn! And then die weeping, Murderer! From now on you will be known as Kinslayer…"

_Stay away from me, Seijuurou …_ He heard his sister's voice. And then his mother's. _Seijuuro-kun, how could you do this to your own mother…_ In his mind's eye he could see Yuriko staring at him with eyes full of disgust and sadness. 

"No…" Hiko stared at his hands. Emptiness filled his soul as he sank to his knees beside his dead wife. "I killed my own family… I killed the ones I love…" Tears marred his handsome face as he embraced Yuriko once again. "What reason do I still have to live? Yuriko!!!"

As he screamed his beloved's name, saidin began to fill him. The ground under Hiko's feet shifted wildly. Rain poured down from the cloudy sky, wetting the earth's surface and the body of the grieving man. "Yuriko… please forgive me… I'm so sorry…" Hiko screamed her name one last time as lightning struck him…

When it all ended, there was nothing left of Hiko Seijuurou and his beloved. The ground where Hiko stood became a mountain known as Fuji. It was the tombstone of the strongest male Aes Sedai of the age…

***

The prophecies said that the Dark One would once again be released from his prison. Tar'mon Gaidon, the last battle, will begin once again. But the prophecies also said that the Dragon would be there to fight the Dark One. Of a woman who belongs to no man will he be reborn. He will break the world and save the world. People will hate him and at the same time worship him. He will be called… the Dragon Reborn.

**- End of Prologue: The Tears of the Dragon -**

**Glossary: **

Glossary is (partly) quoted from: www.angelfire.com /ca7/ewot/index.html

*Aes Sedai: Wielders of the One Power. They are human with ability to do things beyond the capability of ordinary human like Healing, manipulating the weather, creating fireball etc.

*saidin: saidin is the male half of the True Source.

*The One Power comes from the True Source, the driving force of Creation. The male half of the True Source, saidin, and the female half, saidar, work against each other and with each other to provide the force that turns the Wheel of Time. The True Source cannot be used up just as a river cannot be used up by a mill wheel.

*channeling: (verb) To control the flow of the One Power.  
(noun) The act of controlling the flow of the One Power. 

*the Forsaken: The name given to Aes Sedai who went over to the Dark One in return for the promise of immortality.

*the Dark One: The head bad guy. His real name is actually Shishio Makoto, but it is said that calling his true name (naming the Dark One) will bring his attention. That's why people use metaphor to name him.

**Author's Note:**

* For all who don't read The Wheel of Time, this prologue is probably confusing and vague. But please don't let it hold you back from continuing to read the first chapter, as I promised that it will be a 'normal' chapter...

* First of all, this fic is sorta crossover with The Wheel of Time. The prologue is pretty similar to the prologue of Book 1. At some points it will still resemble the original WOT, but I promise it won't be another rewriting of the whole story with RK characters in it like what I did with LOTR… :( 

* The concepts and terms will be from WOT, but the characters live in Japan. To see the map op Japan follow this link: www.jinjapan.org /kidsweb/japan/map/j_regi.html. Mt. Fuji is located between Tokyo and Nagoya, while Mt. Aso lies at Kyushuu Region. I am by no means an expert about the geography of Japan. I only look at a map and pick a location. So my apologies for possible inaccuracies.

* In case you're wondering, Tomoe is not Enishi's sister in this fic. She will make an appearance, but she's not related to Enishi, at least not in the way she is in the manga.

* Special thanks to **NightRain**-san and **Macy**-san for beta-reading this prologue!

* So… enough babbling. Tell me if I should continue… Thx for reading (and reviewing! ;-))


	2. The Lad without a Past

* Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.

* Words with (*) are explained in the glossary.

The Dragon Reborn  
Chapter 1: The Lad without a Past 

He opened his eyes and found himself standing at that square again, with his hands bounded at his back to a wooden pole. Firewood was spread around his feet. It was a small village, and that's all he knew of the place. The surroundings seemed familiar to him, yet he couldn't quite remember where or when or how…

Angry villagers with burning torches in their hands surrounded him and shouted at him. But he didn't hear them. His eyes were focused on the other wooden poles that stood not very far from him where two other people, a man and a woman, were also bounded. His throat went dry and his eyes widened in horror as he saw the villagers ignited the fire around them. He didn't know who they were, but his heart cried out for them and he knew that somehow, he cared about them. The little boy could only watch helplessly and cried as they were being burned to death. He screamed and begged the townspeople to stop it, to no avail. Instead, they began to ignite the fire at his feet as well.

The smell of smoke invaded his senses. He saw the fire dancing around his feet and felt the terrible heat it radiated. When the fire began to touch his skin, he closed his eyes and screamed painfully even louder than before…

…and found himself sitting on his futon, sweating all over his body. He panted and looked at his surroundings warily. It was raining outside, and the thunder roared wildly. The redhead heaved a sigh of relief and relaxed a bit when he realized that it was just a dream. Still a feeling of eeriness crept upon his heart. _Relax… it was just a dream…_ So he told himself. But he couldn't help but wondering. _I've been getting the same dream lately…_ With his palms he wiped the sweat off his face. _What is the meaning of those dreams…?_

Seconds later the shouji screen to his room was slammed open. A raven-haired girl rushed to his side. Worry was written all over her face. "Kenshin, are you all right? I heard you screaming just a few seconds ago…"

Himura Kenshin lifted up his head and met her gaze. Then he shook his head slowly. "It's just a dream…"

"The same dream?" Her face showed concern as she sat next to him and squeezed his arm gently.

"Yeah… The same place, the same people, the same…" Kenshin trailed off. He couldn't understand why it pained his heart so to watch two strangers dying like that, even if it was only in dreams. Somehow he felt that they weren't complete strangers to him. Those faces seemed familiar to him, but whenever he tried to recall something of his past it was as if he was looking at a blank page of a book. 

"Oh Kenshin…" The girl put a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. After Kenshin's breathing was back to normal she asked quietly, "Do you think it might be a clue to what happened in your past?"

"I don't know…" The 19-years old boy replied slowly as he tried to push away the thought that something so terrible had really happened. Then he clenched his fists in frustration. "I have no memories of my childhood. I don't know where I lived. I don't even know my parents' names or what they looked like… I guess it was pure luck that I still remember my own name." A bitter smile appeared at his lips. "Sometimes I don't know who I really am…"

"Kenshin, look at me…" Her stern voice forced him to look at those blue-sapphire eyes. "Whoever you were doesn't matter to me, nor did it matter to my father. You are who you are, and you are Kenshin. That's all I need to know. Do you understand that?" He nodded meekly as she continued, "Now you'd better go get some sleep. We have classes to teach tomorrow. Good night, Kenshin." She pinched his cheek as she stood up and flashed a sweet smile at him.

"Good night to you too, Kaoru-dono…" He rubbed his reddened cheek. _She used to do that a lot when she was a little girl_. Kenshin stared at Kamiya Kaoru's retreating figure. _What did I ever do to deserve such an angel…? _

Kaoru was just about to close the shouji screen to Kenshin's room when she heard him calling her name. "Yes Kenshin?" She was startled when suddenly Kenshin stood right in front of her. _Damn him, he's so fast… _But she didn't show it.

"Thank you… for caring about me." His violet eyes gazed at her gently.

"Don't mention it… Well, then I'll see you in the morning." With that she turned around and headed to her own room, which was only 10 meters away from Kenshin's.

He kept standing outside his room and watching her until she entered her room. Only then did he reenter his room and close the shouji screen. Once settled on his futon properly he began to think about the past eight years he had been staying at Kamiya household. Again he tried to remember his past, but it was in vain. And sleep began to claim him…

***

Akita, a small village situated at the northern coast of Japan, Tohoku region. Most of the villagers were farmers, but there were also a few merchants among them. The village had a mayor named Okina. He was a wise and stern old man, although a bit of a pervert. There were sayings that he was a ninja when he was young, but no one knew the truth.

People of Akita never went very far from their hometown. Aside from the fact that Akita was surrounded by thick forests that were quite scary at night, only a few people felt the need to do that. Yes, they lived in a secluded area, but they were happy and content with the way they were living.

Strangers were not unusual in Akita, though they didn't come very frequently. Most of the guests were merchants. However, the two strangers that had just arrived at dawn were no traders judging from their clothes.

The woman rode a white mare. The front part of her hair was cut in layers that covered her ears. The rest was tied at the back of her neck with a purple ribbon. Her dress was of lavender color decorated with sakura flowers. There was an air of coldness around her. Nevertheless she was beautiful.

But it was the protectiveness of the man that rode after her that stunned most of the villagers. Everyone who dared to whistle at the sight of the woman received a death glare from those icy blue eyes. His garment was all of black; even his stallion was black too. Some whispered that it was the uniform of a ninja, but then again, Akita people have never seen a ninja. He was handsome, but his stony face and sharp gaze would make a woman think twice before trying to make a move on him. A very long sword that hung at his back added the deadly impression about him.

The woman stopped before Tsukioka Katsuhiro's house, the only blacksmith in town. The villagers saw her talking with the blacksmith, but they couldn't hear what they were talking about. They could only catch phrases like 'red hair' and 'Kamiya dojo'. It left them wondering what two strange people could possible want from a small dojo. They just shrugged their shoulders and resumed their daily work…

***

The smell of breakfast being prepared spread from the kitchen. Minutes later Kaoru entered the kitchen and greeted the cook cheerfully. "Good morning, Kenshin!" She sniffed the pan above the fire. "Hm… it smells delicious!"

"Good morning, Kaoru-dono!" was his reply while he kept adding spices to the cooking.

"How was your sleep?" Kaoru asked while she was preparing the tea for them. She frowned when she saw Kenshin tensed at her question. 

The redhead sighed. "I had a dream again last night…"

"The usual dreams?"

"No…" Kaoru was a little bit relieved at hearing this. "It wasn't quite a nightmare, but it was… strange and kinda disturbing." Kenshin put out the fire and waited patiently while Kaoru arranged the bowls and the teacups on the table. "I saw a white haired man. He had that look of a madman, and all he did was watch me as if a hunter would watch his prey. I remember asking his name, but he didn't answer. Instead, he grinned at me…" Uneasiness crept upon him as he remembered that strange man. "I don't know, but there's something creepy about his smile…"

"Hm… that is indeed strange." Kaoru replied while she poured the tea for both of them. "I'm done! Have a seat, Kenshin…"

They ate in silence. Kaoru observed Kenshin's troubled expression all the time. Then she said, "You know what? You seem so troubled with those dreams. Why don't I teach the class today and you take a break? Go hang around with Sano, and you'll cheer up before you realize it."

"Oro! You don't have to…"

"I don't want to hear about it!" Kaoru covered her ears with both of her palms. "You are taking a break today, do you understand?"

When Kaoru used that tone, Kenshin knew better than to argue with her. Deep inside, he was very grateful to her. "Yes ma'am…"

"Besides…" Kaoru spooned the last drop of the miso soup and swallowed it. "I'm not gonna let you teach our students while you're not concentrated." She put the spoon on the table and smiled. "Who knows what kind of bad influence you would be to them?"

And for the first time in that morning the redhead smiled. "But our students were supposed to train their speed today…"

She raised her eyebrows. "And what are you implying by that, Himura-sensei?!"

"Nothing… ororo!!" He dodged the apple Kaoru threw at him easily and caught it with his left hand. Before Kaoru could launch another 'attack' Kenshin had already disappeared from the kitchen. But she heard his voice vaguely. "I'll wash the dishes later! Just go prepare yourself to teach, Kaoru-sensei!"

"Hmph!" The girl half slammed the teacup to the table. "Just because he's much faster than me doesn't mean he can mock me like that! I'll get you for that…" With that she stomped off to her room. The students would arrive soon…

Kamiya dojo was the only dojo in town. After all, what would a small village like Akita do with two dojos? One was obviously enough. Kaoru took turns with Kenshin in teaching the students of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. Some people still thought it scandalous for a woman to master kenjutsu, but over the time Kaoru had learned to ignore such comments…

***

It was past noon already. Kenshin was walking down the road to the market, contemplating what he wanted to make for dinner. His feet stopped before an old woman who was selling tofu. _Tofu for dinner would be great! It is Kaoru-dono's favorite dishes…_

Kenshinhad long since realized that his feeling toward Kaoru was more than just brotherly love. Kaoru's father knew it. That's why he entrusted Kaoru to his care at his deathbed three years ago. He remembered Kamiya Koshijirou putting his hand over hers, practically engaging them before he took his last breath.

He never brought that subject up with Kaoru again. Aside from the fear that he would cut open those emotional wounds, deep inside the redhead was afraid that Kaoru didn't share the same feelings. Of course, it would be easy to make her follow her father's last wish, but Kenshin would never do such a thing. He was willing to break the bond should Kaoru wish for it.

The lad was so deep in thought that he bumped into a fat man. Kenshin had never seen him before. _He must be an outlander…_ The man was taller than him and bald though he wasn't that old. Judging from his elaborated kimono, he was a rich merchant. He looked up to the stranger and offered his apologies. "I'm sorry, Sir…"

"It's all…" The merchant stopped as he tried to remember where he had seen the face of the boy before him. Then his face twisted with rage and hatred as a realization struck him. "You… How come…" With that he turned around and stomped away from him.

Kenshin stood dumbfounded in the middle of the market, wondering what he had done to make him angry. _I'm in trouble if he complained to Okina-san about this…_ But it wasn't that that troubled him. He had heard the fat man whispering something. Something that didn't sound pleasant at all. _Murderer…_ That word kept drumming in his ears, even after the fat man was out of his sight…

***

"All right, that's it for today!" Kaoru's shout rang through the front yard of the dojo. "I guess I'll see you in three days. Keep practicing, okay?"

"Hai, Kaoru-sensei!" The students replied in unison.

"You are dismissed for now!" The sweaty girl watched her students going out from the dojo while acknowledging their goodbye greetings with a nod. After the last of her students was already gone she sighed deeply, and looked around her with a slight smile on her lips. _Father would be proud if he saw how many students we have here…_

Kaoru had just turned around to enter the dojo when she heard the gates creaked open, revealing a beautiful woman on a white mare. A tall man came right after her and closed the gates. In his right hand was a very long sword, while the other held the bridle of his horse. Icy blue eyes gazed sharply at her as she heard him saying, "Where is Himura Kenshin?"

**- End of Chapter 1: The Lad without a Past -**

**Author's Note:**

* Map op Japan: www.jinjapan.org /kidsweb/japan/map/j_regi.html  
If you want to know the exact location of Akita, follow the link above, and click at _Tohoku region _(the brown area).

* I know the prologue was a bit confusing for non-WOT readers. But so was the prologue of book 1! Anyway, I think this chapter is a good deal clearer than the prologue. Hope you like it…

* Last but not least, thank you for reading (and reviewing!). Hope to see you again in the next update.


	3. The Two Strangers

* Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.

* Words with (*) are explained in the glossary.

**The Dragon Reborn   
Chapter 2: The Two Strangers**

"Yo, Kenshin!!" A boy with spiky brown hair appeared out of nowhere and slapped Kenshin's back playfully. But Sagara Sanosuke was taller and much stronger than boys around his age. As a result Kenshin got so unbalanced that he almost dropped the tofu-bucket in his hand. It was solely because of his well-trained reflexes that his dinner for that night was saved.

"Oro! Sano!!" The redhead glared at the taller boy. "I would appreciate it if you don't do that again! You almost ruined our dinner…"

"Heheh…" Sanosuke grinned as he scratched his head. "Sorry, didn't think you'd be surprised. Which is why I'm gonna ask you." He frowned. "Usually you sense me before I get within 50 meters from you. The truth is, I've been following you for 5 minutes and you didn't show any sign of sensing me! Unless you played dumb…" When Kenshin said nothing he continued, "What's the matter? You seem so distant. A fight with Jou-chan?"

"No, that's not it…" Kenshin replied slowly. Even though Sanosuke was his best friend, he didn't want to tell him about his encounter with the fat man, at least not yet. _Murderer…_ That word kept ringing in his mind. So he ended up with an excuse. "Just thinking about those dreams…"

Sanosuke was one of the few who knew of Kenshin's dreams. But being such a carefree person, he never took it seriously. "Aw, come on! It was just a dream. Don't have to worry about it! Anyway…" He grinned mischievously. "… how are things with Jou-chan? Any progress already?"

The redhead was silent for a while. "I don't know how she feels about me…" He finally answered. "Sometimes I think she considers me only as her big brother---"

"Well then go find out! You'll get nothing by doing nothing…" Sanosuke snapped at his friend. "Tell her that you love her. Tell her that she's everything to you in this world. Tell her that she's the stars and the moon at your sky… Women love to hear that kind of craps, you know? By the way, Natsumatsuri* is coming soon. It will be the first time she is old enough to take part in the dance. I think she would want to go with you…"

"You know, I've been thinking about it too… To ask her to go with me to the summer festival, but what if she only feels obligated to fulfill her father's wish? Sano, I don't wish to force her if it's not what she wants. I can't do such a thing to her, can I?"

"Can't you just see that she loves you?" Sanosuke shook his head exasperatedly. "Gee… Kenshin, everyone but you two knows that you are head over heels over each other! How ironic… Sometimes I wonder how you can be so dense. I'll tell you what, if she didn't love you, why would she decline every offer from every boy who want to dance with her in the festival?"

His friend kept silent, so Sanosuke continued, "From what I heard from the Weasel, she's waiting for you to ask her…"

"She is?" Kenshin's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes, she is! And you'd better be quick, cause those boys don't just give up so easily. Hiro tried again yesterday, but fortunately for you she didn't say 'yes'."

There were sparkles of gold in those violet eyes as Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Hiro asked her to go to the festival with him? Again?" He muttered under his breath. "How dare he…"

Kenshin didn't mean the other boy to hear it, but Sanosuke did anyway. "See? You're jealous. Just admit it!" He smiled triumphantly. "Hiro asked her secretly without you knowing it because he was afraid of your infamous glare… Maybe I should remind you that only a few people know about your engagement. If you don't make any move soon, more suitors will come for her, no matter what Koushijirou-san's last wish was…"

"Hiro doesn't deserve her." The redhead suddenly blurted out.

"Care to tell me why?"

"He will only try to change her into something she isn't. Sanosuke, I know his kinds! We both know Kaoru-dono is different girl from other girls. Boys like Hiro merely see her as a wild mare that has to be tamed and caged. Wild horses must run unbridled or their spirit dies…" Kenshin trailed off, and then continued in softer tone. "I will never let them crush her spirit…"

The lanky boy let out a heavy sigh. "You know, when it comes to protectiveness over a woman, you are nothing compared to that scary guy…"

"Huh?" Kenshin looked puzzled. "Which scary guy?"

"So you haven't seen those two strangers?" Sanosuke shook his head in disbelief. "Where have you been the whole day long?! Doing laundry or what?" He smirked as he saw Kenshin's indignant expression. "Anyway, our guests arrived early this morning. A man and a woman. They're kinda… mysterious, should I say. The woman's a babe though she seems cold. The Weasel said that the man's a hunk, but of course, she didn't receive a death glare from him for whistling at his beautiful companion. Geez… even you don't exaggerate like that."

"Sano!" The redhead protested. "I do not exaggerate about Kaoru-dono. I've told you that those boys are simply not worthy of her!"

Sanosuke waved his hands off. "Whatever… Anyway, about those visitors, there were whispers that he might be a Warder."

"A Warder?"

"Yeah, a Warder." The brunette had that annoyed look at his face. "You know, a guy that is bonded to an Aes Sedai?"

"Hey, of course I know what a Warder is!" Kenshin replied indignantly.

"You didn't seem to…" Sanosuke shrugged his shoulders and went on, "His looks alone are enough to scare you away. Not to mention that he has a very long sword strapped at his back… The Weasel was sure that it was not a sword though. She thought they were twin kodachis…"

"Hmm…" Kenshin pondered about their guests. "We don't see strangers very frequently here, do we? What do you think they come for?"

"Oh, crap!" Sanosuke smacked his own head slightly. "How could I forget?! That's what I was supposed to tell you! They're looking for you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you." The taller boy pulled at his friend's long red hair. "How many redheads do we have in Akita?"

"But why me?"

"Heaven knows why…" He shrugged his shoulder. "They're heading to Kamiya dojo now if the Weasel's right…"

"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin hissed. "Sano, I'm going!" A moment later he was already gone from Sanosuke's sight.

"And he said he was willing to call off the engagement." Sanosuke said to no one in particular while he looked at the direction where his friend ran off and then snorted. "Bullshit…"

***

At the dojo…

"Where is Himura Kenshin?"

The tall man was surely scary. His sharp gaze was directed straightly at her. But after Kaoru had gotten over her initial shock, fear turned into annoyance. "And who do you think you are, Mister?" The young sensei snapped at the man in black. "Think you can just show up and start interrogating me?"

Those icy blue eyes hardened even more, if possible, at her words. He was about to say something when the woman on the white mare put a hand on his shoulder. "Aoshi, hold it…" The dark-haired woman shot the man a look as she climbed down from the back of her horse. "I am Yukishiro Tomoe and this man is Shinomori Aoshi." She bowed slightly as she introduced herself and her companion. "May we speak to the owner of Kamiya dojo?"

_At least she has some manners…_ Kaoru relaxed a bit and replied, "I am the owner of this dojo, Yukishiro-san. My name is Kamiya Kaoru."

Yukishiro Tomoe, a graceful and elegant woman she was, seldom showed any emotion at her face. But she did raise an eyebrow as a sign of surprise. "A young woman who masters kenjutsu? I must say that you are quite unique, Kamiya-san."

"I take it as a compliment…" Kaoru acknowledged her comments by nodding slightly. "What can I do for you, Yukishiro-san? Shinomori-san?"

"As what Aoshi said, we are looking for a young man named Himura Kenshin. We are told that he resides here."

"For what business, if I may ask?" Kaoru eyed her guests suspiciously. _Something smells fishy…_

Tomoe smiled slightly as she said, "I would rather speak to Himura-san personally."

A pang of jealousy stabbed her. _She's a refined woman, not a tomboy like me. I wonder what Kenshin would think of her… _The fact that Kenshin was a handsome young man, though small of frame, did not help at all. His flaming red hair and violet eyes were a few of the things about him that drew the attention of girls, even unmarried older women. Not to mention that he was a very gentle and caring person, despite his reputation as the best swordsman in town.

_Stop fooling around, will ya?_ Kaoru scolded herself. _She's probably twice as old as me, though I couldn't quite put a finger on her age. She has an ageless look to her face_… Then she said aloud. "Kenshin's not here at this moment, and I don't know when he'll be back."

"I see…" The older woman seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments. "I'm just wondering, Kamiya-san, but the master of a dojo is usually male, isn't he?" When Tomoe saw that Kaoru was about to retort, she quickly added, "I hold nothing against a woman who trains in martial art; that you should know. On the contrary, such women have my utmost respect." Kaoru's face brightened. "I'm just wondering…"

"Well… my father, Kamiya Koshijirou, was the head of this dojo. He died three years ago, and I am the only heiress. Since then, Kenshin and I have been taking the responsibility of teaching Kamiya Kasshin Ryu to our students…"

"This Himura Kenshin… I take it that he's not your brother since you said you were the only heiress and you bear different surnames..,?"

"He's not." Kaoru shook her head. _Though I wish he stopped acting like any…_ "My father and I--- Wait!" She narrowed her eyes as she realized what the older woman was doing. "Are you trying to fish out some information about Kenshin from me? Sneaky, aren't you? Don't---"

"Do you not have respect, Girl?" Shinomori Aoshi cut her off sharply, his blue eyes blazing in anger. "I will not tolerate any disrespect toward her…"

His stony gaze spoke volumes. He was intimidating, especially with that sword in his hand. Kaoru took one step backward unconsciously. She stared at him defiantly though, refusing to back down completely. It stayed like that for a while, until she broke the eye contact and said to Tomoe, "Yukishiro-san, if you'd like to know something about Kenshin, then I would rather you ask him **_personally_.**" She put emphasize on the word 'personally'.

_Did I hear jealousy?_ Tomoe suppressed an amused smile. _This is interesting. And this girl is surely clever. Not to mention brave, since she has the guts to defy Aoshi's death glare… _"Then I---"

At that very moment the gates of the dojo slammed open, revealing a panting Kenshin with a tofu-bucket in his hands. Seeing Kaoru standing in front of the dojo unharmed, the redhead sighed visibly and ran to her side. His eyebrows furrowed when he sensed the tension between Kaoru and the tall man. "Kaoru-dono, are you alright?"

The younger woman nodded slowly. "Yeah…" 

"Himura Kenshin, I presume?"

Kenshin was about to turn around at the sound of Tomoe's voice when Kaoru tugged at his sleeves, her eyebrows knotted in worry. "Kenshin, they're looking for you."

"I know, Sanosuke told me." He smiled at her soothingly and removed her hands from the sleeves of his pink gi. "You don't have to worry…" His warm smile was replaced by a polite smile as he turned around to face his guests. "I am Himura Kenshin. How may I help you…" The redhead trailed off as he realized that he didn't know their name.

Tomoe caught the hint and briefly introduced herself. "Yukishiro Tomoe. And this is Shinomori Aoshi."

"How may I help you, Yukishiro-san?"

"If you don't mind, we'd like to talk to you…"

Kaoru glanced at Kenshin, waiting anxiously for his response. The redhead weighed the matter for a few seconds and nodded slightly. Kaoru was about to lead the way to the living room when something Tomoe said stopped her dead in her track.

"Excuse me?" Kaoru asked incredulously.

"I said we would like to talk to Himura-san… **_personally_**." Tomoe finished with emphasize on the last word while she eyed Kaoru and smirked slightly.

The younger woman was taken aback. She glared furiously at Tomoe, but the older woman wasn't fazed at all. She kept that annoying smirk on her ageless face. Kaoru was about to argue, but she realized that she had no right to intervene as this matter concerned Kenshin, not her. She bit her lip instead and managed the most polite tone she could. "As you wish, Yukishiro-san. Kenshin, you can take them to the living room and I will prepare---" Kenshin's finger on her lips brought her to a halt.

Kenshin's voice was calm but firm when he spoke. "Whatever you wish to say, Yukishiro-san, you can say it to **_both _**of us."

Aoshi was ready to throw another remark of 'I-will-not-tolerate-any-disrespect-toward-her' when Tomoe lifted up her right hand, gesturing him not to continue. "All right. She can join us."

***

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Kenshin opened the conversation without further ado once all of them were properly seated in the living room; Kaoru beside him, and their guests across from them. 

"They are matters regarding your past and your…" Tomoe thought for a while, picking her words carefully. "…special ability."

"My past?" Kenshin asked, eyes wide in surprise. "And what is this 'special ability' you're talking about?"

"We will come to that later. But mainly, I'd like to know how you got here in the first place."

"How did I get here…" Kenshin murmured to himself, loud enough to be heard by the others. "How did I get here…" Screams. Smoke infiltrated his senses. Fire dancing around his feet. Burning pain. And the memories of those dreams kept haunting him. 

Kaoru watched him as so many emotions flashed in his eyes. It reminded her to Kenshin's unstable emotional state whenever he woke up from his terrible dreams and it made her worried. She put a hand on his shoulder and massaged it slightly, hoping to calm his turbulent emotion. Knowing that Kenshin needed time to regain his composure she decided to speak for him. "Yukishiro-san, you must understand that Kenshin doesn't remember anything about his past except his own name." She thought she saw a startled expression on Tomoe's face, but it vanished as soon as it came. As for Aoshi, his expression didn't change at all; his face was as stony as always "So he couldn't possibly answer your question."

"I see…" Tomoe nodded slightly. "Then let me ask it differently. He wasn't born here, was he?" It wasn't a question, more like a statement. "How did he get to live in your house?" This time the question was directed at Kaoru.

The girl hesitated. She wasn't sure whether she should trust these strangers. But she didn't have to decide. Kenshin's grave voice did. "It's all right, Kaoru-dono. You can tell them…"

"Very well." She drew a deep breath and began. "It was eight years ago. My father and I were walking down the main road when we heard the bushes rustling. The sun was beginning to set and we thought it was a wolf. Instead, we found him." Kaoru glanced briefly at Kenshin and frowned as she tried to recall that scene from eight years ago. "We would have thought him dead if it wasn't for his slow breathing. He was unconscious and his clothes were tattered. It was as if it had been…" She froze at the memory of Kenshin's physical state that day as a realization hit her mind. _Light, his feet suffered on light burn wounds when we found him! And his clothes… it was as if somebody… Oh Light, this can't be true! Why haven't we thought about it before? Kenshin…_

"What about his clothes?" Tomoe pressed on further when Kaoru didn't continue.

The girl gulped. She kept watching Kenshin nervously as she said, "It was as if… somebody had tried to…"

"To what?" The older woman kept pressing her.

"It was as if somebody had tried to burn him." Kaoru finished in a rush while Kenshin's eyes widened in shock.

**- End of Chapter 2: The Two Strangers -**

**Glossary: **

Glossary is (partly) quoted from: www.angelfire.com /ca7/ewot/index.html

**Natsumatsuri**: literally it means 'summer festival'. It is the yearly spring festival organized by the Akitans. It was an event **no** villager would want to miss. Delicious cakes and special recipes from the best cooks in town could be found there. Rumor had it that Okina was planning for fireworks as well. And then there was the dance. It usually began at midnight. There was one rule for the unmarried women: only girls who were 16 or older may enter the dance floor. The first time a girl took part in the dance was considered special in Akita.

**Warder**: a warrior bonded to an Aes Sedai. It is (usually) done with the consent of the person. The bonding is a thing of the One Power: by it he gains such gifts as quick healing, the ability to go long periods without food, water or rest, and the ability to sense the taint of the Dark One at a distance. He in turn protects the Aes Sedai from physical dangers. So long as a Warder lives, the Aes Sedai to who he is bonded knows he is alive however far away he is, and when he dies she will know the moment and manner of his death. Aes Sedai and her Warder can read each other's feelings. The most Aes Sedai have only one Warder bonded to her at a time. Some have none, and some others believe that an Aes Sedai may bond as many as she wishes.

**Author's Note:**

* Map op Japan: www.jinjapan.org /kidsweb/japan/map/j_regi.html

* Well, that's the 2nd chapter, folks! I hope you enjoyed… Got a clue about Kenshin's past? It will be cleared in the next chapter!

* This story will be different from the real WOT, though at some points there will be resemblance with WOT. I'm not gonna do another rewriting… And no, Amamiya-san, it's not gonna be as long as the real WOT. At least that's what I think… :-)

* Special thanks and my endless gratitude for **NightRain**, my wonderful beta-reader!

* **Amamiya**: the idea of Hiko screaming 'baka-deshi' around in Kenshin's head makes me eager to get to that particular part… Hiko is cool!

* **link-no-miko**: your 5th review and one before that did show up on ff.net, but it was gone with the wind. Fortunately your 6th review didn't. I thank you from the bottom of my grateful heart for taking so much effort. Anyway, I'm glad you recognized Tomoe. I was afraid that I described her so badly. And yep, it was Aoshi all right. I think I have another role for Saitou in this fic.  
As for Misao not fitting Nynaeve's character, you are right. But I do not intend to make comparison between characters from WOT and my fic. Besides, I don't think that any of RK characters fits to be Nynaeve. Kaoru, with her temper like that, is the closest I can think of, and I'd rather not do it.  
What you mentioned in your previous reviews is whether I'm rereading the whole story or this is my first run-through. It is the latter. Don't worry about spoilers. I've got myself enough spoilers from the site above. And my friend told me too much of what's gonna happen. :-)

* I'd like to thank all of the readers and reviewers! Please don't stop supporting me. ^_~ See you guys at the next update!


	4. A Shattered Dream

* Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.

* Words with (*) are explained in the glossary.

**The Dragon Reborn   
Chapter 3: A Shattered Dream**

_Kaoru gulped. She kept watching Kenshin nervously as she said, "It was as if… somebody had tried to…"_

_"To what?" The older woman kept pressing her._

_"It was as if somebody had tried to burn him." Kaoru finished in a rush while Kenshin's eyes widened in shock._

***

"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin's soft voice broke the silence after a moment. "Did it really happen?"

"I don't know, Kenshin… I really don't…" was all Kaoru could say while she squeezed Kenshin's arm gently.

Tomoe, who had been watching with slightly narrowed eyes, realized immediately that there's more to this. _They are hiding something…_ She kept that serene look on her face and popped another question. "Is there something else I should know?"

The younger woman threw her an exasperated glare. _Why does this woman want to know everything? She's so--- _

"I've been getting dreams these past four months…" Kenshin finally decided to comply with her wish, earning him a startled look from Kaoru. "It's all right, Kaoru-dono…" He gave her an assuring smile. "Maybe they know something…" The redhead took a deep breath and related the events that happened in his dreams.

"I see…" Tomoe nodded her head slowly after Kenshin finished his story. "So you think your dreams are forgotten memories that really happened in your past?"

"It is possible, but I'm not sure…"

"And aside from that, you remember nothing about… some strange occurrences?"

Kenshin looked at Tomoe with a puzzled look. "I don't know what you mean with 'strange occurrences', but really, I remember nothing of my past. It was a miracle that I remember my own name…"

No one said anything for a while. Everyone was busy with his or her own thoughts. From her face it was apparent that Kaoru was worried about Kenshin. Kenshin's troubled look let the others see that he was thinking about his dreams. Tomoe's face betrayed nothing of her thoughts, and the same could be said of her companion. The silence was just too awkward.

Finally the older woman broke the silence by saying, "Then I believe you are not the one we're looking for." She sighed deeply. "My apologies for bothering you. If you would excuse us, Kamiya-san, and thank you for your time, Himura-san." Then she stood up and addressed the man beside her. "Aoshi, let's go."

"Now wait a second!" Kaoru stood also and placed her hands on her hips. "It seems to me that you know something we don't. Would you mind---"

"Like I said, Girl…" Tomoe cut the younger woman off and fixed her gaze on her, all the warmth and friendliness gone from her face. It wasn't only Aoshi that demanded respect from other people toward her. Those brown eyes were so cold that it sent chills through Kaoru's backbone. "…this Himura Kenshin is not the one we're looking for. Good day." With that she strode leisurely but graciously out of the room. Shinomori Aoshi followed her right on her heels. That left two confused people in the living room of Kamiya dojo.

***

"What was that all about?" Aoshi shot the woman beside him a look as soon as they were out of the dojo.

Tomoe replied absentmindedly. "What do you mean?"

"The 'I-would-rather-speak-to-Himura-personally' thing." The tall man sniffed. "I almost believed that you tried to flirt with that young man."

"Now, now… don't jump into conclusion. He is indeed a handsome young lad." Her lips curved into a thin smile. "But I only wanted to know the girl's feeling for him…"

"Trying to make her jealous, eh?" The way his partner tried to suppress a grin told him enough. "Women…" The barest trace of smile appeared on his lips, but it vanished as soon as it came. "By the way, Aes Sedai aren't capable of lying, are they?"

"No. Why did you ask?"

"Then why did you say that Himura was not the one we're looking for?"

"Aoshi, Aoshi…" The woman chuckled. "I didn't lie when I said that. You should know me better than that… The Himura Kenshin who knows nothing of his past is of no use to us…"

Both fell silent as they headed to Aoiya, the biggest inn at Akita. Then Aoshi said, "You're not planning to tell Himura the truth about his past, are you?"

"He won't believe us anyway. He has to remember it himself…"

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing…" Tomoe sighed as she remembered seeing the fat and bald merchant from Yamaguchi*. _Something terrible is going to happen… but it might be the only way…_

The Warder glanced at her briefly. He saw past that serene mask of her that she was concerned about something. _Probably about Himura, but I don't think she's gonna tell me._ Then he said aloud, "You're just too secretive…" The rest of their ride to Aoiya went smoothly and quietly.

***

"I swear on my brother's grave that it's him!" A fat man slammed his fists on the table in front of him. He was not really old, but his head was bald. From his clothes people could see that he was a rich merchant.

"Now, now… please calm down a bit, Takeshi-san." Behind the table was an old man with thick mustache. His hair was all white. He smoked his old pipe while facing his frustrated guest. "Are you really sure? As far as I know, Himura is the least dangerous boy in this village. Why, he even does the laundry and cooking, since Kaoru couldn't---"

"Would you forget someone who ruined your village, Okina-san?" Takeshi's eyes were filled with hatred, not directed at the mayor of Akita that was sitting before him, but at a certain redhead he had bumped into earlier this day. "Have I mentioned that he could channel as well?"

Gasps came out from other people in that room. They were in the middle of an emergency meeting. Takeshi had come to Okina with some disturbing news, and the mayor had decided to gather the village's council to discuss the matter.

"He could channel? That's not good… Do all male channelers go mad eventually?"

"But we never see him channeling, do we?"

"They say that when a man who can channel goes mad, he destroys everything!"

"Oh no, he is the teacher of my sons! If he goes mad, my sons will get hurt…"

"But Kenshin-kun seems a very nice person! He saved my son's life once…"

Takeshi exclaimed angrily. "It is just façade! The truth is that he killed my brother eight years ago. Just think about it! He was just a little boy back then. If he was capable of a murderous act at such a young age, then what is he capable of doing at his adolescence?!!!" The man was actually shouting.

The room fell silent at Takeshi's outburst. Every member of the council stared at him in disbelief. They found it hard to believe, but Takeshi seemed to be telling the truth. There was no reason he would lie about such a thing, so they thought. Besides, Hideki Takeshi was a well-known merchant in Akita.

Kenshin had always been a mystery for the Akitans. No one had ever met someone with red hair and violet eyes before. They knew him as a kind and polite young man. Children liked him for some reason no one could explain; the lad was a magnet to little children. He was rather quiet compared to his loud-mouthed best friend Sanosuke. But his past was vague to them, as the redhead claimed to remember nothing of it, and he didn't seem eager to talk about it. Where he came from, who his parents were, how he got to live at the Kamiya dojo were all unanswered questions.

The fact that Takeshi's story happened **_before_** he lived at Akita troubled the council. What Takeshi said was not impossible. Doubts filled their minds and people began to talk at once.

"Kenshin actually killed someone? At such young age? I think he was 11 years old back then."

"I wonder if Koshijirou-san knew about it…"

"Come to think about it, the Kamiyas always say that they found him somewhere out of the town. They claim to know nothing of how Kenshin got there. And Kenshin says he remembers nothing of his past…"

"He's a liar then. A murderer! A Darkfriend*! Every man who could channel is…" was Takeshi's response. This raised another series of gasps around the room. Darkfriend. Someone who pledges their life for the Dark One. The council shuddered at the thought of having a Darkfriend in their village.

"A murderer walks around so freely in our village?!" A man in his mid 40 cried out incredulously. A woman with her eyes widened in fear cupped her face with her hands while panic crept into her mind. "Light, a murderer, no, a Darkfriend taught my son kenjutsu! I'm gonna pull him out from his classes immediately!"

Another council member clenched his fists. "We can't let this happen any longer! We have to do something!" Takeshi nodded his head vigorously. "I agree. Darkfriends should not be allowed to exist!" And soon chaos ensued in the room. Everyone was talking at the same time of how they should handle this matter.

"Silence!!!" Okina's shout rang throughout the meeting room. Everyone stopped talking at once. The mayor was an old man, but he could be firm when it was needed. "People, calm down!" Then he gazed sharply at his guest. "Now, Takeshi-san, you don't just come into my village and stir up chaos. You will tell me exactly what happened eight years ago…"

***

The morning after …

Kenshin was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the empty classroom with his eyes closed. His arms rested on his thighs and his fingers were folded. He breathed slowly and regularly. It was a habit he picked up from Kamiya Koshijirou, Kaoru's father. Everyday before the crack of the dawn he got up and went to the dojo to meditate. It helped to calm his troubled soul, mainly because of their conversation with Tomoe and Aoshi the day before.

_I shouldn't think about it any longer._ He mentally scolded himself._ I will only make Kaoru-dono worry…_ The first ray of sun hit his face. It was a signal for him to end his meditation. _Time to prepare breakfast and get ready for the morning class…_

Two hours later Kenshin and Kaoru were already on their training suits, white gi and dark gray hakama. They would be teaching the advanced class together.

It was time to begin the lesson, but not even the half of the students showed up. Kenshin and Kaoru looked at each other, a tad bit confused. Their students seldom came late, but even so, at most only two or three students. They could only shrug, and decided to begin the class anyway.

A few hours later when the class was finally over, one by one the students began to slowly shuffle out. The last to leave the dojo was a 13-year old boy named Ichiro. He stopped before he walked past the gate, and turned to Kaoru.

"Ano… Kaoru-sensei?" He greeted his sensei timidly.

Kaoru stopped rubbing her sweaty face when she heard the boy. "What is it Ichiro?"

The boy's eyes darted to search for Kenshin, but the redhead is nowhere to be found. "I don't know how to say this, but…" Ichiro hesitated for a while. "I won't be coming over again for classes. So… this is my last day…"

"WHAT???!!" Kaoru exclaimed. When she realized she had raised her volume, she apologized quickly. "I'm sorry about that… You just said you wanted to quit? But why?"

Ichiro kept his eyes to the ground. "I didn't want to quit, but my mother told me to and I couldn't argue…"

"What's the matter, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin emerged from the house. "I heard you yelling…"

Kaoru clutches Kenshin's gi. "Kenshin, Ichiro's gonna quit taking classes because his mother said so!"

Those violet eyes widened in shock. "Is that true, Ichiro-kun?"

The boy still didn't dare to look at his senseis. He only nodded.

"Is there any reason why your mother said so?" Kenshin asked further. "You're doing so well with Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu…"

"My mother said," Ichiro replied after a considerable period of silence, "…that she didn't want me to learn Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu anymore." He finally lifted up his head, only to find the shocked faces of his teachers. "I don't want to believe it, Kenshin-san, but they said you were a murderer… I'm sorry, Kaoru-san, Kenshin-san, but I must do what my mother said." He shook his head sadly and walked toward the gate.

"Ichiro, wait…" Kenshin's weak voice reached the boy's ears. "Is that why only the half of the class showed up today?"

Ichiro could only shrug. "Maybe…" He turned his head around, regret filled his eyes. "Thank you for everything. And I'm sorry…" With that the boy ran out of the dojo and slammed the gate close.

Kaoru was left speechless. She blinked her eyes several times to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. "What the hell was he talking about? I can't believe my ears. Kenshin, a murderer??" She snorted loudly. "Where did he get that joke?" 

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin placed a hand on her shoulder. "It might not be a joke…"

"What?!!!" The girl whirled around and faced the redhead. "Not you too, Kenshin! Don't tell me you believe---" Kenshin's serious expression brought her to a halt.

"I said it might." Kenshin motioned her to sit on the porch beside him. "There's something I haven't told you…" So he told her about his encounter with the fat man the day before, how he had glared at him with such hatred and rage and what he had said to him before he stomped away from him.

"But that's crazy! He could mistake you for someone else, couldn't he?"

"It is possible, but deep down, I know he didn't…"

Despite Kaoru's protests and arguments, Kenshin kept his doubt about that matter. The days that followed made it even worse. One by one their students came and said that they stopped taking classes until there were no students left to teach. Some showed regret for having to do so; some looked at Kenshin with disgust. Some said they wouldn't quit if Kaoru expelled Kenshin from the dojo, an idea that of course Kaoru refused fiercely. The ones who dared to suggest it got a mean whack and a shout from the angry sensei. And as days went by the rumors got worse and worse…

***

It was four days after the incident with Ichiro. The sky was already dark. Kaoru had just finished practicing her daily exercise. _Well, even if there's no students to teach, I have to stay fit…_ But she couldn't keep the fake cheerfulness as her eyes wandered to the wooden nametags on the walls of the empty classroom. Kenshin's and her name were the only ones left.

The 16-year old girl fell on her knees, her wooden sword clattered to the floor. She was trying hard not to cry. _Father worked so hard to make this school into what it was four days ago… It was his dream. Father, I'm sorry… What's left of it now is a shattered dream. I've done my best, and Kenshin too…_ As that name crossed her mind, a lone tear escaped her eyes. She recalled the fragments of her argument with Kenshin earlier that day.

***

_"But Kaoru-dono, it is the only way!"_

_"The only way my ass!!" Kaoru was angry beyond words. "How could you say something like that?!!"_

_"I ruined our school… I am only a disgrace to Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu." Kenshin said with a sad tone. "I could never face your father again… it would be better if I just leave."_

_"Kenshin no baka!!!" Kaoru shouted at him furiously. "You think it will fix everything?!!!"_

_Kenshin snapped at her. "Can't you just see?! Our students left the school because of me! Koshijirou-san has done so much for me… and what did I do to repay him? I've ruined his hard work of years! I'm no good for Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu… I'm no good for you!!" The redhead was practically shouting at her, and immediately regretted his rash action the moment he stopped talking and saw her expression._

_Kaoru was shocked beyond words. Never once in her whole life did Kenshin ever raise his voice at her. At everyone who tried to bully her, yes. But not to her. She blinked her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall._

_"Kaoru-dono… I'm… sorry…"_

_The girl turned around, trembling a bit. She didn't want him to see her crying. "Kenshin… my father left me. And so did my students… If you ever leave me… if I'm going to be left alone again…" Kenshin saw tears streaming down her face when she faced him again. "Tell me how am I supposed to live without you!!" Without waiting for his response she ran to her room._

***

After that incident Kenshin had gone after her and apologized. He said nothing about leaving, but he told her that he needed some time alone to think.

***

_Kaoru pulled her indigo ribbon from her hair and handed it over to Kenshin. "Take it."_

_"Uhm… Kaoru-dono, that ribbon won't look good on me, will it?"_

_"Baka…" She muttered under her breath. "Just take it, will ya?"_

_Knowing full well that he shouldn't argue, he took the ribbon from her hand. "May I ask what it is for?"_

_She sighed deeply. "It's my favorite ribbon. You'd better give it back to me or I won't forgive you." A glance at Kenshin let her know that he didn't get what she meant. "You said you needed time to think, and to be away for a while from the dojo, right?" Kenshin nodded, so she continued, "Well, after you're done with your thinking, just make sure you come and give it back to me."_

_The redhead finally understood. She wasn't going to let him go no matter what. "I understand…" He smiled while he folded the ribbon neatly and tucked it under his sleeves. "Besides, I won't be gone that long. I promise I will return it to you when I come home tonight..."_

***

Kaoru wiped the tear away from her cheek. _Be strong, Kaoru! At least you still have Kenshin. He promised to return, didn't he? And Kenshin never breaks his promise…_ She heaved a heavy sigh and said to herself, "Well, Kenshin's gonna be home soon. I'd better go take a bath and prepare dinner."

***

Somewhere at Akita…

A crowd was gathering around a wooden platform. A tall man with long black hair was standing on it. He whispered to the fat and bald man who was standing beside him. "Hideki-san, are you really sure about this? What if Okina-san hears about this?"

"Are you mocking me?" The night was dark, but the torch Hideki Takeshi held in his right hand illuminated his angry face. "I could never forget those demon eyes! And I don't do something I'm not sure of, you understand?" The fat merchant grunted. "With all my respect, Okina-san is too soft... But you may go home if you wish, though, and miss the chance to punish a Darkfriend…"

"Darkfriend…" The tall man's face darkened. That was all he needed to strengthen his resolve. He took a deep breath and raised his voice. "People, we have come together here to make an end to evil in our village! I give you one last chance to retreat, because after this there is no turning back!" The man paused for a while, waiting for the reaction from the crowd. His smile was full of satisfaction, as he saw no one left. "Do not be afraid! Evil will not defeat we who walk in the Light! Harden your heart, for evil does not deserve mercy---"

***

A soft humming tune was heard from the bathhouse. Kaoru was preparing herself for a hot bath. She was about to take her training suit off when she heard someone banging the gate of the dojo loudly. _Who the hell is that? I know it's not Kenshin. He has the key…_ Sighing exasperatedly, she straightened up herself and went to the gate. "I'm coming!!" The banging didn't stop. "Oh, for heaven's sake! Can't you just wait?!" The girl exclaimed exasperatedly as she slammed the gate open. Surprise replaced anger as she recognized the handsome face of a young boy around her age with short black hair. "Hiro? What is---" She never got to finish her sentence. Her mouth fell open as she stared past Hiro's shoulder.

A crowd gathered behind Hiro, each one of them had torches in their hands. All of them were her fellow villagers. Only they didn't look as friendly as they usually were. 'Not friendly' was an understatement. From the faces Kaoru could tell that they were pissed off. But she couldn't tell why or to whom.

"Hiro, step aside." A tall man with long black hair stepped forward and put his hand on Hiro's shoulder.

"Maeda-san, what's the matter?" Kaoru recognized the man as Hiro's father, the richest merchant in Akita. "For what reason have you all---"

"Kaoru," Maeda Tetsuya cut her off sharply. "Hand over Himura Kenshin to us."

"What????!!" Kaoru asked incredulously. She didn't believe her ears. "I beg your pardon, Mae---"

"You heard me, Kaoru." Tetsuya's voice was as cold as ice. "Hand over Himura Kenshin to us."

"Are you out of your mind?" The girl was extremely pissed off. First the rumors, and now this. _Has everybody gone nuts? This village is going to drive me crazy! _"What has Kenshin done this time? Wait, let met guess. Did he murder someone else?" Just leave it to Kaoru to be sarcastic.

"Watch your tongue, Girl!" Tetsuya gave her a warning.

"No, you watch your tongue!!" Kaoru glared at the tall man before her furiously. "I've had enough of this! My students left the school because of those completely idiotic rumors. Kenshin, a murderer? Hah, it's the funnies joke I've ever heard! You think you can just---"

"Kaoru-chan, please!" Hiro came to stand between Kaoru and Tetsuya. His eyes pleaded her silently. "Just do what they say, please?"

"Hiro…"

"He's a Darkfriend… Kaoru-chan, Kenshin's a Darkfriend! Is that no enough reason for you to turn him in?"

Those sapphire eyes widened in shock as a gasp came out of her mouth. "Darkfriend…? Kenshin's a Darkfriend?" She muttered with a blank look on her face. It was barely audible, but Hiro and a few others who were close enough to her heard it anyway. "Someone who gave up his soul to the Dark One for power… a man who would kill his mother just to keep it secret, the lowest of the low evil… Kenshin? No, it can't be true…" Kaoru shook her head slowly. _No… They don't know Kenshin as well as I do… He can't be what they say… He just can't! He's too sweet of a soul to be a Darkfriend… _Then she said aloud, her eyes full of determination. "No, I don't believe it… I won't believe it! Kenshin's not a Darkfriend. That I know for sure."

Hideki Takeshi was getting impatient. Seeing that the girl still wasn't convinced, he stepped forward from the crowd. "Kamiya-san, Himura Kenshin **_is_** a Darkfriend. Do you need any prove? He killed my brother eight years ago…" A look of pain and hatred flashed in his eyes. "And he can channel. Do you understand why we want him, Kamiya-san? He endangers everyone around him."

The blank look from her face disappeared, replaced by anger. "What are you talking about?!" Kaoru snapped at the bald merchant. "Kenshin would **_never_** endanger everyone around him! He would leave before placing this village in danger! Besides, Kenshin has lived here for eight years and he has never channeled, not even once! He can't channel and that's the end of it!" She slammed the gate with her bare hand in exasperation and snorted. "You are all nuts! I thought you knew him better than that… A murderer, a Darkfriend, a male channeler… What nonsense!! I bet after this you'll say that he's the Dark One---"

Hiro stepped closer to her and took her hands in his as he begged her openly. Desperation was obvious in his voice. "Kaoru-chan, please! You must believe us!"

But she snatched her hands away from him. "Who are you to decide who I should believe in?" The girl gazed at Hiro icily. "I believe in the one I love, Hiro. Would you not do the same if you were me?"

It was the final blow to the boy. He had had a crush on her for the longest time. Though she always rejected his advances, Hiro still had hope that someday she would give him permission to court her. But now his dream of Kaoru's hand in marriage was shattered in pieces. He shook his head sadly and vanished to the crowd.

Tetsuya watched the retreating back of his son. _It's better this way. This girl is no good for my son… Time will heal his broken heart._ Then he gazed at Kaoru sharply and warned her for the last time. "Kaoru, this is your last chance. Will you surrender Himura Kenshin to us?"

"I thought I said it loud and clear, Maeda-san." Kaoru met Tetsuya's sharp gaze levelly. "Kenshin is **_not _**a Darkfriend. I do not and will never believe it!" Then she proceeded in quieter yet firm voice. "If he's a Darkfriend, then so am I…"

The crowd fell silent at what her last line. Everyone was unsure of what to do. But Takeshi never hesitated for a moment. "You heard her. She just confessed that she's a Darkfriend! Seize her!"

Kaoru was a skilled swordswoman. She was not the master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu for nothing. But she was overwhelmed by the crowd. Soon she was struggling uselessly while two big men held her either arm. Maeda Tetsuya stood right in front of her. His sad eyes were met by her defiant stare. "Kaoru, as much as I hate to do this, a Darkfriend can not be tolerated… You know the punishment for being a Darkfriend…" And darkness overcame her.

***

The streets of Akita were already empty except for one person. Kenshin was walking through the familiar path that led to the Kamiya dojo. _It's almost midnight… I hope Kaoru-dono will not be angry…_ He fingered the indigo ribbon that was tucked safely under his sleeves. A smile appeared on his face. _She wouldn't let me go no matter what, would she? And I still haven't asked her to go to Natsumatsuri with me. Sano would be very angry with me…_ His smile turned into sad smile as he recalled the events these past few days. _But it may be too late now… I wonder whether I'm still welcome at the festival…_

Not long after that the redhead arrived at his destination. "Home at last…" He heaved a sigh of relief and flung the gate open. "Kaoru-dono, I'm---"

The scene that greeted him stopped him dead in his track while his eyes widened in horror.

**- End of Chapter 3: A Shattered Dream -**

**Glossary: **

Glossary is (partly) quoted from (www.angelfire.com /ca7/ewot/index.html) and Wheel of Time.

**Darkfriends**: Those who follow the Dark One and believe they will gain great power and rewards when he is freed from his prison.

**Yamaguchi**: a village located at Chugoku region, the southwestern coast of Japan. Go the link above and you'll find the map of Japan. Click on _Chugoku region _(purple area).

**channeling**: (verb) To control the flow of the One Power.  
(noun) The act of controlling the flow of the One Power. 

**Warder**: a warrior bonded to an Aes Sedai.

**Author's Note:**

* Map op Japan: www.jinjapan.org /kidsweb/japan/map/j_regi.html

* Well… how do you think of it? Got a picture of Kenshin's past, or instead, more questions? All will be revealed in the next chapter!

* A lots of thanks to **NightRain**, my beta-reader, for her suggestions en helps with this chapter!

* **Nicky**: if you know me then you'll have no doubt about the pairings I approve of… :-)

* **myvan**: not every character from WoT will make appearance in this fic. Well, can't have it as complicated as the real WoT, can I? About Nynaeve, as much as I think she's very cool, no one from RK world really fits to be her. Hope you're not disappointed… 

* **link-no-miko**: I'm still considering whether or not I will make any use of wolves in my fic… so I can't decide yet if I'll have Perrin-type in this.

* Thanks for reading (and reviewing ^_^x)! See you at the next update!


	5. Forgotten Memories

* Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.

* Words with (*) are explained in the glossary.

**The Dragon Reborn   
Chapter 4: Forgotten Memories**

Not long after that the redhead arrived at his destination. "Home at last…" He heaved a sigh of relief and flung the gate open. "Kaoru-dono, I'm---"

The scene that greeted him stopped him dead in his track while his eyes widened in horror.

***

The open gate revealed a big fang painted on the ground right before him. Kenshin's eyes darted to the gate, and indeed, he found similar symbol carved on it. Dragon Fang. They said that when a person was suspected to be a Darkfriend, he got a Dragon Fang carved on his door. _What is the meaning of this? Do they accuse me of being a Darkfriend as well?_

He stepped on the big painting on the ground warily. There was this nagging feeling that he had been through this once, but he ignored it. As the redhead walked toward the house, the clouds pulled back slowly from the moon, slowly revealing the Kamiya dojo. Only, it wasn't in the same state as it had been when Kenshin had left that morning. The front door was torn off and there were holes at the walls.

_What happened…?_ Cautiously he entered the house and lit a lantern. He gasped in shock as he saw that the whole house was in a mess. Everything was turned upside down. It was as if it had been raided. And there were lots of Dragon Fangs painted on the wall, the floor, everywhere… And somehow, seeing the house in its current state triggered something in the back of his mind.

In his mind's eye he saw similar scene. Another place, another time, but the same situation. When or where or how, he did not know. The familiarity was almost too painful. He shook his head slowly and shooed the feeling away. _I'm probably just daydreaming… Where is---_

_Kaoru-dono…_ The thought of her hit him like a bucket of cold water. "Kaoru-dono!!!" Frantically the redhead searched through the house for any sign of Kaoru, in vain. She was nowhere to be found. He shouted her name again and again, but still, none answered his desperate cry.

Suddenly something Sanosuke had told him years before struck him, and panic began to creep into his mind. _You know what they do to a Darkfriend, Kenshin? _Sanosuke's voice rang clearly through his head._ They say that a Darkfriend deserves only one punishment, and that is---_ Kenshin's eyes widened in alarm as he remembered the rest of their conversation. _Light, it can't be true! Kaoru-dono…_

***

_My head hurts…_ It was the first thought that came to her mind as she began to regain her consciousness. _What happened…?_ She wanted to rub her forehead, easing the throbbing pain, but both of her hands were restrained by something. Her eyes snapped open as she realized that she was tied to a wooden pole erected in the middle of a clearing outside the village. Her mouth was gagged with a piece of white cloth bound behind the masses of her raven hair. _What the... _Bits by bits the memories of what had happened returned to her. It made her stomach knotted.

_They raided my house…_ That thought alone would have been enough to make her teeth gritted in anger, but at this moment Kaoru had something far more important to worry about than her house: her own life. Her wary gaze was fastened at the crowd gathering not far from her and to the burning torches they held with their hands. _They accused me as a Darkfriend because I didn't acknowledge Kenshin as one…_ She shuddered in fear as she thought of the consequence being accused as a Darkfriend. She looked down at her feet, and found firewood piled around her feet. _Are they really going to---_

"People of Akita," The heavy voice of Maeda Tetsuya grasped everybody's attention immediately, including Kaoru's. "It is past midnight already. The time has come…" He announced while keeping his gaze straight at Kaoru. As if on cue, someone began to chant, "Darkfriend… Darkfriend…" Soon the other joined him, repeating the word 'Darkfriend' like a mantra, while they headed toward Kaoru.

Her eyes bulged in horror. _Light, they are really going to do it!_ She wanted to scream and beg them to stop, but the gag in her mouth prevented her to do so. What came out was only incoherent mumbles.

She kept struggling uselessly, as the townsfolk got closer and closer, until they all gathered around her. They kept maintaining a safe distance from her, though. Tetsuya emerged from the crowd and stood in front of Kaoru. Right beside him was Hideki Takeshi, the bald merchant. Tetsuya bowed his head and said a prayer. "May the Light have mercy on your soul. May the Light cleanse your soul from evils. And may the Light see that your soul reborn will walk in the Light." He leaned forward and stuck out his torch. The firewood around her began to catch fire as he stepped backward while the crowd kept chanting the word 'Darkfriend'.

Smoke began to invade her nostrils. Kaoru was beyond any panic as she saw the fire dancing around her feet and felt the heat. Somehow through all off her futile attempt to free herself, she managed to loosen the white cloth that gagged her mouth. And she did the only thing she could. A desperate scream pierced the darkness of the night. "KENSHIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!"

***

_She has to be alive! She has to!_ Kenshin was running as hard as he could, using every bit of god-speed he possessed. _Kaoru-dono, hold on! Please, don't let me be too late…_ Faint voices reached his ears, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. It seemed like some kind of mantra, though.

Seconds later he reached the top of the hilly slope. Panting heavily, he saw a crowd gathering down there. They formed a half circle, with something at the center. _Kaoru-dono! _Two men stood right in front of her, one with his head bowing as if saying a prayer, the other with his chin raised arrogantly. _They have torches in their hand! _Kenshin thought in panic as he heard clearly now what those people were saying. But he had no time to think, as right at that moment Maeda Tetsuya chose to light the fire at Kaoru's feet.

Kenshin's feet were planted to the ground as he saw the flame dancing at Kaoru's feet. The missing piece of the puzzle was finally put right into its place. It was as if he was brought to a different world, different time. Only instead of one, he saw two burning wooden poles in his mind's eye. _Light, they killed my parents! Mother!! Father!!! NOO!!!!! _Tears streaming down his cheek as the memories of what had happened eight years ago rushed into his mind. The pain and the agony, the grief and the feeling of helplessness, they all came back to him at once. The lad fell onto his knees and pounded his fist to the ground. _I couldn't save you… Father, Mother… I was so weak that I couldn't protect the most important persons to me… I'm sor_---

"KENSHIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!" Kaoru's scream jerked him back to the present. _Kaoru-dono!_ Kenshin blinked his eyes. There was only one burning pole there. And Kaoru was bound to it.

Another feeling began to surface from the depth of his heart, cracking the already turbulent emotion. Panic, fear and sadness began to subside, replaced by something almost alien to Kenshin. Almost. He had gone through this before, eight years ago. _Back then I couldn't save my parents. Back then I failed to protect the most important persons to me… _Pure rage built up rapidly in him, threatening to take over his sanity. _I won't let them take her away from me! Not again! _It was beyond his power to control it as he roared furiously. "What have you done to Kaoru-dono?!!!" And then there were sparkles of gold in those blazing violet eyes…

***

Kaoru's scream didn't soften their hearts at all. On the contrary, it fueled their anger. The crowd was still chanting when suddenly lightning came down from the now-clouded sky. It struck a big tree not far from them and burned its leaves to ashes. Mouths gaped open at the sight as the chanting stopped.

"What in the world… The sky was clear just one minute ago!" Takeshi exclaimed in disbelief as he heard thunder growling in the sky and gray clouds moving to conceal the moon from their view. "This is summer anyway, there can't be---" 

The ground behind the crowd erupted suddenly. The Akitans had no time to think as multiple eruptions followed through the crowd soon after, as if clearing a path for someone. Those who weren't quick enough to step aside were sent flying. When it was all done, a pathway divided the crowd into two. And someone was walking through it.

"Himura…" Tetsuya whispered slowly. There was hint of anxiety in his tone, as Kenshin that was heading straight to Takeshi and him, was not the Kenshin they all knew. His head bowing and his steps heavy, there was no kindness and gentleness at all in his demeanor. The redhead smelled of rage and fury.

"So here we meet again, Darkfriend." Takeshi greeted Kenshin mockingly. "Soon you will die too! You will meet the same fate as your whore!"

"My whore?" Kenshin's voice was dangerously calm. He lifted his head and the people around him gasped. His eyes were not the usual violet, but amber, and they glinted with wrath. The only thing that stood between Kaoru and him was Takeshi and Tetsuya. He raised his hand and the two adults were sent flying several meters away. "You dared to call her my whore?!!" The menacing gaze he fixed at the fat man made him cowering fearfully.

"Kenshin…"

Kaoru's pained voice brought his attention back to her. "Kaoru-dono!!" The fire was beginning to burn her feet. _Damn it… What should I do?_

"You're late, Darkfriend." Takeshi said coldly as he began to regain his composure. "There's nothing you can do to save her…"

"No!!" Kenshin shouted at the fat man angrily as he frantically thought of a way to put out the fire. "I won't lose her! Not again!!"

"Mark my words, Darkfriend. She will die, just like your parents did!"

What happened next, Kenshin could not explain. All of a sudden the fire around Kaoru was gone, leaving only the pile of burnt woods at her feet. At first he blinked in confusion as he had no idea what he did, but then a wave of relief washed over him now that Kaoru was safe. He was about to step toward her when the sound of a man screaming in agony stopped him.

Behind him, Hideki Takeshi, his whole body engulfed in fire, was rolling on the ground desperately while he was howling like a madman.

"Himura, what have you done to Hideki-san?!" Maeda stared at Kenshin and Takeshi incredulously.

"I don't know…" The redhead stared at Takeshi for a moment, then rushed to Kaoru. Quickly he cut the rope that bound the girl to the pole and caught her in his arms before she fell to the ground.

"Kenshin… you came… It hurts…" Sobbing uncontrollably against his chest, the girl was slowly losing her grip on consciousness. First drops of heavy rain that was about to come hit the ground, soaking everyone on that area. The rain got harder by every minute that passed.

Kenshin hugged her trembling form tightly as he buried his head in her hair. "Ssh… Kaoru-dono, I'm here… I'll protect you now…" He caressed her black tresses gently, his words barely audible in the midst of the rain. "I won't let them hurt you anymore… Not ever…"

But is it?

The redhead was still whispering words of comfort to Kaoru when he felt cold metal pressed at his neck. Slowly he turned around as not to let his throat be slit open, and found Tetsuya standing right in front of them with a sword at his hand. The tall man wore a stony expression as he pointed the tip of his sword to Kenshin. "Himura, whatever you did to Hideki-san, undo it!" Despite the heavy rain, the villagers hadn't succeeded in extinguishing the flame that engulfed Takeshi yet.

Even with the tip of the sword pressed unto his temple, Kenshin met Tetsuya's stony gaze levelly. Not a trace of fear was found in his now-violet eyes. The glint of anger was still there, though. "How can I if I didn't even know what I did!" He barked at Tetsuya. "I wish I knew, but I swear I didn't know what happened!"

"Then both of you will die by my own hands!" The crowd cheered behind him as he continued, "You injured many of us," He indicated the villagers that were hurt by the explosions on the ground. Nobody died yet, but they would if they didn't get some help immediately. The rain didn't help the situation at all. "… and our honored guest as well." Takeshi wasn't only a well-known merchant in Akita, but he was a close friend of Tetsuya as well.

The villagers finally managed to put out the fire that engulfed Takeshi, but the man suffered severe burn wounds all over his body. The fire had just begun to blaze fully when Kenshin had accidentally moved it to Takeshi. He was in far worse condition than Kaoru who got only slight burn wounds at her feet.

"Pay for your deeds, Darkfriends." Tetsuya raised his sword, preparing to carry out the execution.

By now the crowd had gotten wild. "Kill them!" "Annihilate the Darkfriends!" and similar shouts were heard clearly despite the pouring rain. Everyone was soaked to the bone, but it didn't seem to have any effect on them.

_I'd die first before I let them lay their hands on her again... I swore to Koshijirou-san that much at his deathbed…_ Kenshin thought while his drenched body crouched over Kaoru protectively. Tightening his embrace even more, he closed his eyes, ready to accept the blow. _My blood shed before hers; my life given before hers…_

And Tetsuya swung the blade downward.

Kenshin waited for the blade to come, but it never did. Instead, the sound of two swords clashing against each other was heard. The rain hadn't stopped yet, but it no longer fell upon Kaoru and him. The redhead opened his eyes, and found the figure of a tall man looming over them. Tetsuya's sword that was about to split his skull in two was blocked by the kodachi he held in his right hand. _Shinomori__ Aoshi…_ He recognized the man in black as one of his guests a few days before. Kenshin's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized that there was an invisible dome above the four of them, preventing the rain from soaking them further.

Shinomori Aoshi deflected Tetsuya's blow easily. "Stay back."

"You…" Tetsuya recognized Aoshi as one of the two strangers that currently resided at Akita. "Who do you think you are, ordering me around like that?!" He readied himself in a battle stance, his sword poised at his right hand. "You are going to---"

"I suggest you comply with Aoshi's order, Maeda-san." That cold voice could only belong to one person. The smell of white plum assaulted Kenshin's senses. Yukishiro Tomoe rode on her white mare leisurely through the rain. Not a single drop of rain touched her pale skin; she had that invisible dome above her too. "You wouldn't win a fight against Aoshi, not even if you trained for a million years."

Everyone watched in amazement as they now realized that there was an invisible shield above Tomoe, Aoshi, Kenshin and Kaoru. They couldn't see it, but something clearly deflected every drop of rain that fell on it.

Tomoe dismounted right beside her Warder, and knelt beside Kaoru. The Aes Sedai eyed Kaoru's injury and let out a sigh of relief. "She'll be all right; don't worry." She said to Kenshin as she laid her hands on Kaoru's feet. A soft murmur escaped her lips. "To be able to make it rain this hard…"

The crowd, including Kenshin and Tetsuya, gaped in astonishment as the burn wounds at Kaoru's feet disappeared. Not a trace of the rough treatment she had received could be seen at her flawless skin. And she began to stir up.

Kenshin held back the tears that threatened to escape his eyes as he hugged Kaoru tightly. "Thank you… Yukishiro-san, thank you…"

The woman only nodded and straightened her travel dress as she stood up.

By now the whole crowd had already understood whom they were dealing with. Tetsuya threw his sword aside and rushed toward Tomoe, but Aoshi's glinting blade stopped him from getting too close to her.

"Please, I mean Yukishiro Sedai no harm!"

Aoshi didn't budge at all.

Tetsuya knelt until his face touched the wet grass. "I beg you, Yukishiro Sedai! Please help my friend Takeshi! You are the only one who could save him! Please…"

Tomoe put a hand on Aoshi's shoulder, but the Warder didn't lower his kodachi at all. "I will help Takeshi-san and your fellow villagers who are in grave danger…"

"Oh, thank you, Yukishiro Sedai! Thank you very---"

"Under one condition." Tomoe gazed at Tetsuya sharply. "That you will leave Himura-san and Kamiya-san unharmed."

"What??!" Tetsuya asked incredulously. "You expect us to let Darkfriends loose in Akita? But you---"

"We have a bargain, Maeda-san." Tomoe cut in curtly. "And your friend isn't getting any better."

Tetsuya clenched his fists, but he realized that he had no other choice. "All right." His teeth gritted in anger as he answered. "You have my word. We will not harm Himura Kenshin and Kamiya Kaoru."

***

A little while later…

"So you remember now what happened eight years ago?"

Kenshin nodded reluctantly. The sleeping Kaoru was laid in front of him. Her wounds Healed by the One Power, she needed some rest to regain her strength. He caressed her hair softly. The thought of almost losing her still made him shivered.

"Everything of it?" Tomoe, who sat behind him, inquired further. Aoshi stood at the doorway as if keeping a watch.

"Only a part of it." The redhead sighed heavily. "It all started when the other children in the town bullied me. After beating me up, they were going to drown me in the river. Maybe they meant it as a joke, but I took it seriously and…" He closed his eyes for a while before continuing with a bitter voice, "I channeled… a few of them were hurt pretty badly." His fist clenched that it almost pained him. "Back then I didn't understand what I did. I was confused, and I ran into the woods. I… I really didn't mean to hurt them." The pained look returned into his face. "When I came home late at night, I found my house empty. My parents weren't there anymore… I don't really remember what happened after that. The next thing I knew was that I found myself bound to a pole. The rest happened just exactly like what I've been dreaming of…"

"Do you remember how you escaped?"

"Not exactly." Kenshin shook his head slowly. "I only remember running through the woods. I could hear those townspeople behind me…" _My feet hurt, but I had to run for my life…_ He furrowed his eyebrows, digging up his mind for those long forgotten memories. "There was a silvery vertical line… everything went black after that. When I woke up, I was already at Kamiya dojo…"

"You lived at Yamaguchi. Do you realize how far it is from Akita?"

"I don't even know where Yamaguchi is…"

"Yamaguchi is about 3 months from here… It's in the southern coast of Japan. That's why I was puzzled of how got here in the first place. I think I know…"

"How?"

"You said a silvery vertical line. From what I read in the books, it is possibly a Gateway. Nobody knows how to make it these days… With it, you can Travel to any place you want to."

Long silence followed. "Yukishiro Sedai, did I really kill his brother?" Kenshin stared at the palm of his hands. He had that downcast expression on his face.

"You did…" Tomoe replied softly. He thought he heard sympathy in her voice. "…accidentally though. It's like what you did to Hideki-san. It seems that somehow you managed to move the flame from Kaoru to him instead of putting it out."

_Kaoru-dono, Kaoru-dono…_ He wept silently. _I am a killer. I am a male channeler… I almost killed innocent people again… How can I ever face you again?_ His lament was interrupted by the sound of Aoshi's kodachi being drawn out of its sheath.

Tomoe felt her Warder's annoyance. "What is it, Aoshi?"

"It's the townspeople again." Aoshi replied shortly. "They're outside the gate."

**- End of Chapter 4: Forgotten Memories -**

**Glossary: **

Glossary is (partly) quoted from: www.angelfire.com /ca7/ewot/index.html

* Dragon Fang: a sign carved on the door of those who are suspected to be a Darkfriend.

**Author's Note:**

* Map op Japan: www.jinjapan.org /kidsweb/japan/map/j_regi.html

* A bit explanation about the memory thing: Can you imagine a little boy seeing his parents killed so brutally in front of his eyes? That's what happened to Kenshin. I hope it is clear from this chapter what happened at his childhood. The trauma of it made him lose his memories (don't know what psychologists would say; let's just assume that it's possible. ^_^). When he saw the same scene replayed before his eyes in real, he remembered.

* For WOT readers, I know that male and female began to channel at the beginning of their adolescence. For the sake of this fic, I altered this fact (Kenshin channeled for the first time at 11). Can't take a whole volume just to know which one can channel, can I? I would get nowhere with the story then…

* Nicky9: I don't know if you got the hint somewhere in the middle of this chapter, but it might answer your question about Kaoru having secret power like Kenshin. :-)

* link-no-miko: apparently I've got another role for Saitou. Too bad, he would've made a good Elyas, though Elyas is nowhere as cold as the Mibu Wolf.

* Thank you so much for sticking with this lazy author. I hope I'll see you at the next chapter!


	6. Into the Wild

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.

**The Dragon Reborn  
****Chapter 5: Into the Wild******

TDR in a nutshell:

Prologue: Hiko and Enishi clashed. Hiko went mad, killed his own family and died.

Ch 1: A few thousands years later…  
K&K are introduced. Tomoe and Aoshi arrived at Akita. Kenshin met someone from his forgotten past.

Ch 2: Sano appeared briefly here. K&K, Tomoe and Aoshi had a talk.

Ch 3: Uproar in Akita upon hearing that Kenshin can channel. Kamiya dojo lost its disciples. The townspeople confronted Kaoru while Kenshin was away.

Ch 4: The Akitans sentenced Kaoru to death. As a Darkfriend, the punishment was to be burned alive. Kenshin came just in time to prevent her from getting severe wounds. He channeled and hurt some townspeople and Takeshi unintentionally. Tomoe came and revealed herself as an Aes Sedai. She agreed to Heal the injured parties if they promised to leave Kenshin and Kaoru unharmed. Afterwards, they're having a talk at the dojo when the Akitans showed up at the gate.

_His lament was interrupted by the sound of Aoshi's kodachi being drawn out of its sheath._

_Tomoe felt her Warder's annoyance. "What is it, Aoshi?"_

_"It's the townspeople again." Aoshi replied shortly. "They're outside the gate."_

* * *

The darkness still enveloped the sky when Tomoe and Aoshi came out of the dojo to meet the crowd. The Aes Sedai had told Kenshin to watch over Kaoru while they handled the Akitans. 

"Maeda-san, I didn't expect to see you here." Her voice was anything but friendly as she gazed coldly at Maeda Tetsuya, the Aes Sedai serenity never once leaving her demeanor. Behind Tetsuya was the townspeople, though less in number than earlier in the clearing. Their faces were grim as they swarmed the front yard of Kamiya dojo. Unruffled by it all, Tomoe said calmly, "What business brought you here?"

Tetsuya hesitated for a moment. Picking his words carefully, he drew a deep breath and finally said, "Yukishiro Sedai, why are you protecting those Darkfriends?" His eyes darted around the dojo, looking for any sign of Kenshin or Kaoru. "I just don't understand… Aes Sedai are supposed to be the archenemies of Darkfriends, aren't they?"

It seemed impossible for Tomoe's gaze on the tall man to turn any colder, but it did. "And what are you implying by that, Maeda-san?"

"No, no, please do not misunderstand me!" Then Tetsuya added hastily and meekly, "I didn't mean to offend you, Yukishiro Sedai…"

"What I do is none of your concern. You do not just stick your nose into what an Aes Sedai is doing. Besides, dealing with male channelers is Aes Sedai business. But let me tell you this…" Her cold gaze left Tetsuya – the man sighed visibly then – and fell at the crowd. Many of them backed away unconsciously. "Just because a man can channel doesn't make him a Darkfriend."

"But he killed Hideki-san's brother!" Someone from the crowd shouted. "And he was just a little boy back then!"

"He did. It is a fact that can't be denied." She nodded in agreement. "But did Hideki-san tell you everything about it? Did he tell you what his fellow villagers did to Himura-san when he was a child?"

The bewildered crowd fell silent. Tetsuya hesitated at first, but in the end it was him who answered Tomoe's question. "Takeshi said that Himura hurt other children – his friends – with his channeling when they were playing together. Those children were half alive when the villagers found them. Himura's parents claimed to know nothing about it, but of course they did!" Anger was evident in his voice as Tetsuya snorted in disgust. Gone was the initial indecision. "The whole family was sentenced to death as every Darkfriend should be. Somehow Himura managed to kill Takeshi's brother by channeling and ran away. As of how he got here, I have no idea…"

"Then did Hideki-san tell you that those children were trying to drown Himura-san in the river?" Her voice was sharp as she went on, "Oh, they were not _playing_ at all; I can assure you that. It was then that he accidentally channeled and hurt his so-called friends…" A moment later she added softly, "I didn't think Hideki-san told you that…"

Low murmurs buzzed around Tetsuya's ears. The townspeople were well aware that an Aes Sedai wasn't _capable _of lying. So what Tomoe had just said had to be the truth. Several people sympathized with Kenshin, and some others felt guilty for their prejudice toward him, though some still held contempt though.

Tetsuya shook his head and said, "But you can't deny the fact that he's dangerous, Yukishiro Sedai. Every man who can channel is!"

"Maeda-san, do I need to remind you that you promised _not_ to harm Himura-san and Kamiya-san? Besides, dealing with male channelers "

At that, Tetsuya and the townspeople knew not to reply, because they had indeed promised. In the end, it was Aoshi's grave voice that forced them to leave the Kamiya Dojo. "What are you waiting for? You heard the Aes Sedai."

One by one the villagers left the dojo. "Yukishiro Sedai, I mean no disrespect, but Akita wants nothing to do with Aes Sedai. Especially Aes Sedai who protects a male channeler…"

"You do not need to worry." Tomoe answered the man, her face remained impassive as ever during the whole exchange. "We won't be staying long…"

Tetsuya cast one last look at Tomoe and Aoshi before he disappeared from their view.

* * *

When Tomoe finally returned to Kaoru's room, the girl was already awake. She sat on her futon, her hands rubbing her sleepy eyes. "How are you feeling, Kamiya-san?" 

Kaoru blinked at Tomoe, as if wondering what the woman was doing in her house at such an ungodly hour. Something made her answer the Aes Sedai, though. "I'm fine. Just a little bit… drained. But I'm okay."

"Good." Tomoe nodded curtly. She put her hand on Kaoru's temple for a moment. Satisfied with her condition, the Aes Sedai said, "You two, pack your things quickly. Take only what is necessary. We'll leave before the sunrise. Aoshi is taking care of your horses as we speak." Kaoru was going to utter a protest, but the Aes Sedai beat her to it. "Save your questions for later, Kamiya-san. We don't have much time."

Normally Kaoru would've put up a fight, but apparently she hadn't gained 100% of her consciousness, because she only nodded slowly as the Aes Sedai left the room.

A hand on her shoulder jolted her out of her reverie. "Kaoru-dono, I'll be back in a minute." Kenshin gave her a reassuring glance before he went after Tomoe and closed the door behind him.

He found her outside the house, standing beside Aldieb, her white mare. Her slim fingers were stroking its mane gently. "Yukishiro Sedai, please leave Kaoru-dono out of this!" She regarded Kenshin with a neutral look as he continued, "I will go with you, but please let Kaoru-dono stay! She---"

"Honestly, Himura-san, do you think she will still have place among the townspeople?" Tomoe cut him off sharply. "Do you really think that she will have her life back if you go? She almost died by the hands of her own folk, in case you forgot…"

"But it was---"

"I will hear no more of it. She's coming with us. She won't let you go alone anyway." Her tone left no room for arguments. "Besides, I have my own reasons…"

* * *

Kaoru hadn't budged from her futon when Kenshin finally showed up. "Kenshin!" Her eyebrows soon furrowed into a frown as she noticed Kenshin's brooding mood. Unfortunately for him, Kaoru was back to her old self then. "What's going on? Why did Yukishiro-san tell us to leave? And I had this strangest dream about being accused as a Darkfriend, among other things." Her eyes fell on the two swords in Kenshin's hand, deepening her frown. "Those are father's swords, aren't they? Why did you---" 

Kenshin put up a hand to forestall her. "Kaoru-dono, please just do as Yukishiro Sedai asked. We---"

"What did you just say??!!" Kaoru exclaimed incredulously. "She's an Aes Sedai???!!! Kenshin, you must be joking, right?"

"No, I'm not." He sighed tiredly, his heart was burdened. _I'm sorry that I can't spare you this, Kaoru-dono…_

"And why do we have to leave anyway?" Kaoru hadn't realized yet that she hadn't been dreaming at all. "Does she think she can make us leave just because she's an Aes Sedai? Does she, Kenshin?" Her eyes found his, and what she saw there alarmed her.

Kenshin gazed sadly at her. "Our place isn't here anymore. Yukishiro Sedai was right…"

"What was she right about? Kenshin, you're making me nerv---" Her eyes widened in horror as realization struck her. "Does it… Oh, Light…" She gulped. "Does it have something to do with my dreams…? Please don't tell me that it was real!"

"I would if I could tell you otherwise, but then I'd be lying…"

"But why?!" She broke down as the memories of a few hours ago were coming back to her. Tears began to moisten her eyes and wet her cheek. "What did we do wrong, Kenshin?" The swords clattered to the floor, and a moment later she found herself being enveloped in a pair of strong arms.

"Ssh… you did nothing wrong. Don't cry… You're safe now… I'm here…"

Soon her sob quieted, replaced by anger. "We are not Darkfriends! It must be those stupid rumors!"

"I'm sorry…" Kenshin whispered softly at her ears.

"But it's not your fault! You're not a Darkfriend. You didn't kill anybody! It was all a lie!"

"Kaoru-dono, please…"

Something in Kenshin's voice triggered an alarm in Kaoru's head. "Kenshin, are you okay?"

He forced a smile on his face as he let her go and headed to the door. "Just pack your things, okay? I promise I'll explain everything. Just not now…" Then his eyes fell on the swords on the floor. He stared at them for a while and finally added, "Oh, and one more thing. You might as well take this sword with you." He picked up one of the two swords lying on the floor and threw it to Kaoru which she caught expertly, if only out of reflex. "That one suits you better. It is a bit lighter than mine. Koshijirou-san always wanted you to have it."

Kaoru drew the sword out of its sheath and stared at its glinting blade. Her face was reflected on it. She remembered those two swords. Kamiya Koshijirou had been a soldier before he came to Akita. Seeing no need for swords in times of peace, he had kept both of them hidden in the dojo. Only Kenshin and she knew about the whereabouts of those swords. _But why the sword?___

Kenshin must have read her thoughts, because then he said, "Shinomori-san said we might need it." With that he closed the paper door and left her alone with her own thoughts.

_Kaoru-dono, I have loved you for as long as I can remember. But my very existence endangers you…_ The lad was weeping silently. Unshed tears glistened in his violet eyes. _Because of me you almost died… and I can't bear the thought of losing you… There's no way I'll let you know about my feelings toward you._ A bitter smile appeared on his lips. _Sano will be very angry… but it is better this way…_

* * *

The sun was yet to show up from behind the mountain when the party of four was finally out of town. The ride out of Akita went by uneventfully. Tomoe led the party with Aoshi by her side. Behind them was Kaoru on a red-brown sturdy stallion named Fireheart while Kenshin was in the rear. 

"Where are we going, Yukishiro Sedai?" Kaoru's voice broke the almost peaceful silence. Tomoe had told them to make as little noise as possible, but now that they were out of town, Kaoru figured that it would be safe to talk.

Tomoe didn't bother to turn around as she replied, "We're going to Tokyo."

If only Kaoru had glanced at Kenshin, she would've seen him stiffened at the mention of Tokyo. "Tokyo? Isn't it where the White Tower[12] is?"

"Yes, it is." A moment later the older woman added, "And Kamiya-san, just 'Tomoe' will do. The last thing I need in our journey is people fussing over an Aes Sedai…"

"If you say so, Tomoe Sed---, Tomoe-san." Kaoru shrugged. "And just 'Kaoru' will also do as well. Why are we leaving anyway? We didn't do anything wrong, did we?"

The Aes Sedai turned her head around and looked at Kenshin. "I think it's up to Himura-san there to tell you that, isn't it?"

Kaoru saw his shoulder slumped dejectedly. "Kenshin?" She asked tentatively.

"Not now, Kaoru-dono. Later…" Kenshin's violet eyes spoke of tiredness as he spoke. Gone was the usual warmth and cheerfulness. It only served to frightened Kaoru more. She wondered just how bad the situation was…

As they entered the thick forest that separated Akita from the outside world, Aoshi assumed the rear position of the party. Occasionally he went ahead of them to scout the area.

Hours passed and it was almost midday. "We'll stop here for a while." Tomoe suddenly announced as she saw a river not far from them. She dismounted and led her mare to the river ahead of them. The others followed suit. "I will have Aoshi checking the area ahead of us, then we'll be leaving. In the meantime, rest and eat." The Aes Sedai took two packs of rice balls out of her saddle bag and tossed one to Kenshin. Then she went to Aoshi who was still mounted on his black stallion.

"Kenshin…?" Kaoru watched him as he sat by the river. His right hand still held the rein of Wind – his dark brown gelding – while it satisfied its thirst.

"Come sit with me." Kenshin patted the empty space beside him with his other hand. He didn't look at her at all. "I don't even know where to begin…"

There was a considerable period of silence until Kaoru finally said, "What happened last night?" She tried to recall the bits of memories from the night before. "I remember being tied to a pole. I saw them igniting the fire on my feet." She shuddered at the thought of it. "After that, it was vague… Your face was the last thing I remember. But your eyes were golden then…"

"I came home last night to find the house already wrecked." Kenshin finally spoke. "Dragon Fangs were carved everywhere. Then I panicked… I went looking for you, hoping that I wouldn't be late." He closed his eyes for a moment. Pain and sadness were obvious in his face as he continued, "When I arrived at the top of the hill, I saw them igniting the fire on your feet… It was then that all those memories from the past came back to me." He kept his gaze steady at the river as he smiled bitterly. "It is the answer I've been looking for. Now I wish I never found out… Remember the dreams I told you about? It did happen in the past. My parents were executed in the same way you would've been last night…"

"Oh Kenshin…" Kaoru felt tears stinging at her eyes as she placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "I'm so sorry…"

"Seeing you there struggling uselessly, it was if I saw my parents. For a while I did, in my mind's eye, at least. I was rooted to the ground, until I heard you screaming. Then something in me snapped…" He took a deep breath and finally told her the truth. "I channeled… I didn't even realize what I was doing. All I knew was that I had to keep you safe…"

Kaoru was speechless as Kenshin related the events from the night before. _So what they said is true after all. Kenshin _**is**_ a male channelere…_ A thousand of thoughts swarmed through her mind. _People say that male channelers are dangerous. People say that all male channelers will eventually go mad because of the taint in saidin… People say that when it happens male channelers will destroy everything around them… Will he hurt me too if he… _**No!**_ Kenshin, insane? Light, please don't make me lose him like that! But he is a male channeler, and male channelers are dangerous…_

"I hurt them…" Kenshin's weak voice brought her attention back to him. "I hurt our friends so badly that they would've died if Tomoe-san hadn't Healed them. And I _did _kill Hideki-san's brother." He buried his face in his palms. "I am a murderer…" _I do not deserve you…_

_Look at him…_ Kaoru's heart ached for him. _It pained him a lot because he did what he didn't want to do. And he keeps blaming himself… But then again, it is so Kenshin, isn't it? He did it to protect me…_ _He is still the Kenshin I know, no matter how much people try to tell me otherwise... _In that moment, her mind was set. What of her heart? Her heart had always known its haven, and it was not about to change anytime soon._ I don't know what the future has in store for us. Male channelers are dangerous, so they told me. The townspeople might have forsaken him just because he can channel, but…_ "Kenshin?"

He didn't dare to meet her eyes, afraid of what he would find there. _She will hate me… _"Yes, Kaoru-dono…"

"Kenshin, look at me." The girl grabbed his shoulder gently and forced him to look at her in the eye. "If you think that I will hate you just because you can channel, then you've judged me wrongly. If you think that I will think of you less just because you hurt our fellow villagers, you are seriously mistaken. By the way, they are not that innocent, you know? They wanted to kill me… Kenshin, you are my friend! And that's all that matters to me…"

"But I _did_ kill Hideki-san's brother." He pointed the fact out to her. "I can channel, and that alone makes me a dangerous man to be around with. Light only knows if I ever lose control when you're around and---"

A finger on his lips silenced him immediately. "I don't want to hear about it again, okay?" Kaoru let go off her hold on Kenshin and stared at the river. "I don't care about people's past; you of all people should know that." Then in a much softer voice, almost like a whisper, she added, "All I care about is you… You're all I've got left, Kenshin. I thought I told you that. If you ever leave me…"

She felt a hand on top of hers. A faint blush crept upon her cheek as she slowly turned her head aside and found Kenshin's eyes gazing tenderly at her.

If there was any doubt about Kaoru's feelings toward him, it was as good as gone. In those deep blue pools Kenshin could see all the love she felt for him. He couldn't have been surer. But there were shadows hanging over them. _I promised myself that I wouldn't let her know my feelings. It's for her own good_, he reasoned with himself. _I'm too dangerous_. Suddenly there was another voice in his head that scolded him. _Doesn't that choice belong to her? Let me tell you what, it's not for you to decide, you idiot! _The inner battle inside him went on for a moment, until he finally came to a decision.Squeezing her hand gently, he cleared his throat, and his voice was no more than a whisper when he said, "Kaoru-dono, I---"

"Ahem…" Tomoe cleared her throat, her eyes sparkled with something akin to a playful glint at the sight of Kenshin and Kaoru's joined hands. It went unnoticed by those two though, as they were too busy hiding their embarrassment either by scratching his head in Kenshin's case or by muttering nonsense such as 'What great weather we have today!' in Kaoru's case. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but we have to go now. And be quick." Her face went impassive again, and after nodding curtly she was off to attend her own mount.

Whatever it was Kenshin was going to say, the moment was forever lost. He let out a sigh and stood up immediately. Kaoru wouldn't be brushed off so easily though. "Kenshin, what were you going to say right before Tomoe-san came?"

He didn't answer._ It's an omen… I can't tell her…_ Instead, he extended his right hand to help her stand, while the other hand dusted his clothes. Mustering the best smile he could manage, he said, "No, it was nothing. Come, we must go…"

Kaoru seemed rather taken aback, but she chose not to press the matter. Taking his extended hand, she stood up as well and straightened her travel dress. "Yeah, we'd better get going…" Insisting on it would be of little use, she realized. Kenshin's stubbornness could rival hers if need be. It didn't prevent her from feeling a bit disappointed though. She didn't look back as she spurred Fireheart to go after Tomoe.

Had she looked back, she would've seen Kenshin's eyes. Those violet eyes held so many unspoken feelings, feelings he did not know whether he would ever dare to let her know for he feared for her safety. A pang of sadness and regret stabbed his heart as he watched Kaoru's retreating back. _It is better this way_… Caressing Wind's dark mane gently, he said to his horse, "Come on, boy. We've got a race to run." He kicked its side, and the stallion began to run.

* * *

Tomoe set a harder pace this time. If the horses had been trotting before, they were galloping now. The Warder was once again in the rear; all his senses were on full alert. His eyes darted to the trees and the depth of the forest, searching for any sign of Trollocs[10] or Myrddraal[7]. 

Earlier that day when the other three were taking a rest, Tomoe had sent him to scout the area. He had found a fresh trail of Trollocs then. The Aes Sedai hadn't wanted to make the two youngsters worry, so Aoshi had agreed to keep it between them. It seemed that the Dark One had found out about Kenshin as well and from the looks of it, he had sent his troops to go after them. It only served to fuel the growing feeling of uneasiness Aoshi had been getting for the past half an hour. Suddenly he caught a flicker of movement on his left. He was about to shout a warning to his companions, but Kenshin beat him to it.

"Kaoru-dono, on your right!!!!"

Aoshi cursed under his breath.

**- End of ****Chapter 5: Into the Wild**** -******

**Author's Note:**

- Map op Japan: web-jpn . org /kidsweb/japan/map/jregi.html

- other RK characters such as Misao, Sano, Megumi, Yahiko etc will make appearance soon. I intend to introduce the characters in the first part of the story. I hope that by then, the non-WOT readers will have been at least a bit familiar with WOT-things.

- JML, thanks for the information regarding the memory thing. Glad that it's not a nonsense after all… ;-)

- thanks to everyone who reads (and reviews) this story. This lowly author can't express enough gratitude for your support. Till the next chapter!

**Glossary: **

Glossary is (partly) quoted from (www . angelfire . com /ca7/ewot/index.html) en Wheel of Time.

[1] Aes Sedai:

Wielders of the One Power. They are human with ability to do things beyond the capability of ordinary human like Healing, manipulating the weather, creating fireball etc.

[2] channeling:

(verb) To control the flow of the One Power.  
(noun) The act of controlling the flow of the One Power.

[3] Dark One:

The head bad guy. His real name is actually Shishio Makoto, but it is said that calling his true name (naming the Dark One) will bring his attention. That's why people use metaphor to name him.

[4] Darkfriends:

Those who follow the Dark One and believe they will gain great power and rewards when he is freed from his prison.

[5] Dragon Fang:

A sign carved on the door of those who are suspected to be a Darkfriend.

[6] Forsaken:

The name given to Aes Sedai who went over to the Dark One in return for the promise of immortality.

[7] Myrddraal:

Myrddraal are the spawn of Trollocs and the taint of evil is even stronger in them. They are man-sized and are pasty white. They have no eyes, yet they see like eagles. They have powers that stem from the Dark One. They are no match for an Aes Sedai, but they can best most warriors. The look of a Fade inspires fear in men.

[8] One Power:

Comes from the True Source, the driving force of Creation. The male half of the True Source, saidin, and the female half, saidar, work against each other and with each other to provide the force that turns the Wheel of Time. The True Source cannot be used up just as a river cannot be used up by a mill wheel.

[9] Saidin:

The male half of the True Source tainted by the Dark One.

[10] Trolloc:

Soldiers for the Shadow. They are huge, maybe eight feet tall. They have the body of a man and the head and feet of an animal such as a bear, bird, wolf or goat. They are very strong, but they are too stupid, lazy and cowardly to be good soldiers. Trollocs see well in the dark, but bright light blinds them. Some can track by scent or sound, but they are lazy and easily give up. They kill for the pleasure of killing.

[11] Warder:

A warrior bonded to an Aes Sedai. It is (usually) done with the consent of the person. The bonding is a thing of the One Power: by it he gains such gifts as quick healing, the ability to go long periods without food, water or rest, and the ability to sense the taint of the Dark One at a distance. He in turn protects the Aes Sedai from physical dangers. So long as a Warder lives, the Aes Sedai to whom he is bonded knows he is alive however far away he is, and when he dies she will know the moment and manner of his death. Aes Sedai and her Warder can read each other's feelings. The most Aes Sedai have only one Warder bonded to her at a time. Some have none, and some others believe that an Aes Sedai may bond as many as she wishes.

[12] White Tower:

Center of power for the Aes Sedai. It is where Aes Sedai live. Located at Tokyo


End file.
